Robert Glatzel, Martijn Kaars, Mateusz Zukowski and Bundesliga 2's top scorer candidates for 2026/27
There are few prizes more coveted by strikers than that of being top scorer. This season's race looks set to be a blockbuster, with Robert Glatzel, Budu Zivzivadze and Martijn Kaars among the forwards hoping to fire their clubs towards promotion while claiming the Bundesliga 2 top scorer crown along the way. But who will come out on top?
Relegated after 29 seasons in the Bundesliga, Wolfsburg have brought in Glatzel from Hamburg with the job of firing the Wolves back into Germany’s top flight at the first time of asking.
The 32-year-old veteran brings plenty of second division experience with him, having plundered 94 goals in 189 matches during time spent between Kaiserslautern, Heidenheim and HSV.
Glatzel, who faces internal competition from Dženan Pejčinović, Fabian Reese and Alessio Besio, has played just 37 games across all competitions since the beginning of 2024/25 but, if the Munich native remains injury free, he is expected to play a crucial role as Wolfsburg seek a Bundesliga return.
Budu Zivzivadze (Heidenheim)
After 18 months in the Bundesliga with Heidenheim, Zivzivadze is back and ready to make a splash in Germany’s second division once again. The Georgian has previous in this division, and was on course to finish as top scorer in 2024/25, having struck 12 goals in 17 games at Karlsruhe before joining Heidenheim in January 2025.
Despite Heidenheim’s relegation, Zivzivadze finished 2025/26 on a high, netting five goals in four successive games between Matchday 29 and Matchday 32, including a brace in a 3-3 draw against Bayern Munich.
Watch: Budu Zivzivadze nets twice against Bayern
“He’s not only a goal threat, but he also holds the ball up well and wins attacking duels,” lauded Heidenheim head coach Frank Schmidt, highlighting his No.11’s all-round play in the attacking third.
Like Glatzel and Zivzivadze, St. Pauli’s Martijn Kaars displays similar goalscoring prowess and is another forward returning to Germany’s second division looking to replicate earlier success.
The Dutchman struck 19 times for Magdeburg in 2024/25, and grabbed two goals in three games at the start of last season before joining Pauli. He was unable to carry his goalscoring exploits to the Bundesliga, however, registering just three goals in 29 games.
Pauli’s hopes of a Bundesliga return are now pinned on the lightning-fast Kaars, who narrowly missed out on the top scorer title to HSV’s Davie Selke two years ago.
Hannover’s participation in last season’s promotion battle was largely down to Källman’s 14 Bundesliga 2 strikes, but even that was ultimatley not enough for the 96ers, who missed out on the promotion/relegation play-off on the final day of the season despite starting Matchday 34 in third.
With coach Christian Titz’ preference to play a lone striker, Källman - sharing Hannover’s attacking duties with Benedikt Pichler - was replaced in 15 of his 23 starts, and was substituted on 10 times, making his goalscoring record even more remarkable.
“I know I could have scored more goals,” said Källman, who, possessing a natural eye for goal, will look to fire Hannover back into the big time after a seven-year absence.
Mateusz Zukowski (Magdeburg)
Few could have predicted Zukowski’s meteoric Bundesliga 2 rise. The former right-back has benefited from a positional change at Magdeburg, swapping the right flank for a leading role in attack. Playing centrally, the Pole returned 17 goals in 21 appearances in 2025/26, demonstrating lethal finishing in his maiden Bundesliga 2 campaign.
“I’m hungry for goals,” said Zukowski, who recorded his first professional hat-trick on Matchday 21 against Fürth.
Equally adept at scoring all types of goals, the 24-year-old could become a decisive factor in Magdeburg’s season.
A clinical presence in the opposition box, his physical frame and lethal finishing make the Pole a nuisance for opposing defenders.
