Quinones & Toney: Golden boot rivals face off with more than title on line | OneFootball

One is an England international who made a name for himself in his homeland’s lead competition; the other is a Mexican national-team striker who, before arriving in the Roshn Saudi League, had never played club football outside of the Central American nation.

Both, however, have something considerable in common. That, in this most thrilling of RSL seasons, they are trying to break Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent stranglehold on the golden boot, the award that goes to the campaign's master marksman.

And, after 25 games in the 2025-26 RSL, there’s nothing that separates the two as they vie for a personal accolade that could have major implications, too, on the destiny of the title.

While Ronaldo is lurking close behind, it is Julian Quinones and Ivan Toney that lead the way this term, the pair with 24 goals apiece.

Which is rather fitting given their respective RSL journeys are relatively similar. Each frontman landed in the Kingdom ahead of the 2024-25 season and went on to enjoy 20 goals-plus debut seasons.

While nothing separates the deadeye duo through 25 rounds, Toney leads the overall ledger with 47 goals so far in his RSL career. Quinones isn’t too far off, though, with 44. Looking beyond the goals, it’s Toney again with a slightly better record when assists are included, with nine to Quinones’ seven.

Yet, with so little between the star strikers, there are important differences.

Toney, for example, takes the bulk of the scoring load for Al Ahli. His 24 goals represent almost 50 percent of all those scored this season by Matthias Jaissle’s side who, with 49, have the lowest tally of any side inside the top four.

That places a significant burden on Toney’s albeit-broad shoulders, with Al Ahli’s next-highest scorer being Riyad Mahrez, with a mere four goals.

To underline Toney’s influence on the Asian champions, who sit second in the table: Al Ahli have scored two goals or more in only two of the eight matches this term in which Toney hasn’t found the net.

Although, that’s not a problem Brendan Rodgers has to navigate at Al Qadsiah, with Quinones’ striker partner Mateo Retegui also on track for a 20-goal season of his own (15 thus far). Remember, the latter was last season’s Serie A golden boot winner.

In their march up to fourth and therefore right into the battle for the title, Al Qadsiah have fluctuated largely between a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2. But what has remained consistent is the two up front.

And, while it takes a lot to overshadow an Italy international of Retegui’s refined stock, Quinones is doing just that. However, together they form the division’s most lethal attacking combination, ahead of Al Nassr double act Ronaldo and Joao Felix.

Not only does that ease some of the offensive strain on Quinones, but it also provides Al Qadsiah an extra attacking outlet. Rodgers’ front-footed side have plundered 59 goals this season; clearly, finding the net doesn’t all fall simply upon Quinones.

In contrast, at Al Ahli, Toney operates as the lone man at the top of what is either a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, with Galeno and Mahrez often roaming either side. Yet they are wingers that act more as suppliers than scorers.

One might also wonder what might’ve been for Quinones had Rodgers been in charge all season. Appointed in December, nine games into the campaign, the Northern Irishman has turned around Al Qadsiah’s attack, with 43 of their 59 goals coming during his 16 matches in charge.

In that time, Quinones has bagged 18 of his 24 goals. No club has scored more across the same spell; indeed, only Toney has netted more than Quinones, with 19 of his own coming within that period also.

Meanwhile, there are other comparisons to be made.

For example, Toney’s conversion rate is superior to Quinones, his 24 goals derived from 71 shots. That 33% conversion rate betters Quinones’ 25% (24 goals from 95 shots).

Interestingly, both players have created the same number of “big chances” (five), while Toney edges the statistic for overall chances created (16 to 13).

And, for whatever value you place in it, one-third of Toney’s goals (eight) have come from the penalty spot, compared to only one for Quinones. That’s not to undersell the skill required to finish from the spot, which is something that, until very recently, Toney had perfected.

It all lends itself to a fascinating individual duel developing between dual forwards at the top of the 2025-26 scoring charts. That tete-a-tete rachets up on Friday, when Al Qadsiah host Al Ahli in the plum fixture of Matchweek 26.

Of course, it’ll be a huge occasion on the east coast for the clubs’ competing championship chances. But, for the two protagonists with genuine 2026 FIFA World Cup ambitions, it’s an opportunity to stamp their authority as the golden boot’s bona-fide No.1.