Unexpected top scorers: Raimondo and the others

Thirteen appearances in Serie A with Bologna and Venice, without ever finding the back of the net. Few opportunities to showcase his talent in top-flight football, prior to a series of loan spells in Serie B in search of playing time and consistency. Then came his meeting with Massimiliano Alvini, promotion with Frosinone, and a start to the season that changed everything. Seven matchdays were all Antonio Raimondo needed to claim the title of top scorer in Serie A.

With his hat-trick in the 4-2 victory against Sassuolo, the 2004-born striker from Ravenna climbed to seven goals, overtaking Donyell Malen. Behind him, on six goals, are Roma's Dutch forward and Monza's Gustavo Varela. A breakthrough that brings a 22-year-old centre-forward into the spotlight. One who, prior to this season, had never scored in the top division.

Raimondo and Alvini: a collective effort

Seven of Frosinone's thirteen goals have come from Raimondo. More than half of the offensive tally for a team that, after seven matchdays, occupies sixth place with thirteen points. Numbers that speak volumes about both the centre-forward's growth and the work of Alvini, who has built an attacking system that enhances his qualities.

Five goals came at the end of well-worked moves, and two from set-piece situations. The aggressive and proactive style of Frosinone provides Raimondo with chances to finish, but the 2004-born player certainly plays his part: he attacks the area with the right timing, finishes with both feet and his head, combining speed and individual technique with a remarkable eye for goal. He also participates in the high press, one of the core principles of Alvini's football.

The hat-trick against Sassuolo added further milestones to his start: no Frosinone player had ever scored three goals in a Serie A match, and among Italians, only Domenico Berardi had managed to score a hat-trick at a younger age. Raimondo has also already registered three multi-goal matches, a feat achieved in Europe's top five leagues only by Lamine Yamal (three) and Raphinha (four).

At 22 years old, the Bologna-owned striker is making a name for himself among the young talents to watch with the National Team in mind. His mobile centre-forward traits, combined with his willingness to work hard off the ball, make him an interesting prospect for the future of the Azzurri. A prospect that, only a few months ago, seemed like out of reach.

Cutrone, Denis, and Borriello: the strikers of the newly promoted sides

Raimondo is not the first striker from a newly promoted club to surprise Serie A by capturing the top of the scoring charts, if even just for a few matchdays. The most recent precedent is that of Patrick Cutrone, who in 2024/25 reached four goals after six matchdays with Como, joining Retegui, Thuram, Vlahović, and Pulisic.

In 2020/21, it was Andrej Galabinov's turn, who scored three goals in his first two appearances with Spezia. The Bulgarian found himself momentarily at the top alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Lukaku, and Papu Gómez.

A similar case dates back to 2011/12, when Germán Denis led the way for Atalanta. Thanks to a brace in a 2-2 draw against Siena, the Argentine climbed to nine goals after eleven matchdays, pulling away from Antonio Di Natale, who was stuck on eight. Not since the days of Filippo Inzaghi had a Nerazzurri striker occupied first place all by himself.

In 2007/08, however, the goalscoring charts became a battleground between two forwards from newly promoted teams. David Trezeguet, back in Serie A with Juventus after a year in the second tier, started with a hat-trick and maintained the top spot (either alone or tied) for 24 matchdays.

Marco Borriello interrupted his lead, the protagonist of Genoa's return season to Serie A. After years spent between loans and missed opportunities, the Campanian centre-forward found his breakthrough in the Rossoblú shirt: on matchday 25, by scoring against Napoli, he reached 16 goals and surpassed "TrezeGol". Both were later overtaken by Alessandro Del Piero, who finished the season as top scorer.

Two different paths for Trezeguet and Borriello: an already established champion who immediately returned to the spotlight following promotion and a centre-forward who finally managed to express his full potential with a newly promoted club.

Piątek and Dely Valdés: the fearless newcomers

Not all breakthrough stars come from promoted sides. Sometimes, a newcomer who adapts instantly to Italian football is all it takes to exceed all expectations.

In 2018/19, Krzysztof Piątek burst onto the scene with Genoa by scoring nine goals in his first seven appearances. A dazzling start that launched the Polish player to the top of the goalscoring charts, even ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Twenty-five years earlier, in 1993/94, it was Julio César Dely Valdés who stole the show. In his debut Serie A season with Cagliari, the Panamanian reached six goals after nine matchdays, sharing the top spot with Maurizio Ganz and Andreas Möller.

Protti and Riganò: hard work paying off

Then there are those who had to wait before making their mark in the top-flight. Like Igor Protti, who had finished his first Serie A season in 1994/95 with Bari by scoring seven goals. In the following campaign, at age 28, he found himself at the top of the scoring charts after just four matchdays and didn't look back: 24 goals and the top-scorer title shared with Giuseppe Signori, though it wasn't enough to prevent the Pugliesi from relegation.

Christian Riganò's breakthrough arrived even later. In 2006/07, during his third Serie A season following stints with Fiorentina and Empoli, the Messina centre-forward reached nine goals after fifteen matchdays, joining Francesco Totti at the top of the standings. At 32 years old, after a long journey through the lower divisions, Riganò found himself competing with the league's best marksmen.

Rolando Bianchi: the blueprint that inspires Frosinone’s dreams

The most striking parallel, however, brings to mind the Reggina side of 2006/07 and the breakout season of Rolando Bianchi. Until then, the Bergamo-born centre-forward had accumulated 54 appearances and just three goals in Serie A. On the opening matchday away against Palermo, he scored a hat-trick in a 4-3 thriller, matching in a single game his entire previous tally in the top division. After three matchdays, he was already the sole top scorer with four goals. That start turned into an 18-goal season, proving decisive in dragging Reggina toward an extraordinary escape from relegation, secured on the final matchday despite a heavy initial penalty deduction.

It is a parallel that closely mirrors Raimondo's rise: a young centre-forward still waiting to be fully discovered in Serie A, a hat-trick marking the turning point, and a talismanic role for a provincial club.

Bianchi channelled his top form into survival for Reggina. Raimondo has the chance to pull off an equally significant feat: guiding Frosinone to the first top-flight survival in the club's history.