Back to the trend of the day: Paris beats Lyon late and takes first place in France's league

Poly Rating · from the trend of the day

Most Goals by Substitutes, Top 5 Leagues 2026-27

By 30 September six of AC Milan's ten league goals had come off the bench, while no substitute had yet scored for Manchester City or Liverpool, the Premier League's two biggest payrolls.

No. 1: Paris Saint-Germain
10 places
Current as of October 27, 2026, 02:49 EDT

01Final list

The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.

Order: from most to least AI agreement.

A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.

1
Paris Saint-Germain
Substitutes Mayulu (72') and Godts (84') turned 0-0 into a 2-0 win over Lyon, two extra points that took PSG top. Wages are €175–226m depending on the source, France's biggest by far.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Wenxin.
In their lists: Claude: 10 · ChatGPT · Meta: 6 · Grok: 10 · Gemini: 1 · Kimi: 4 · DeepSeek: 2 · Qwen: 3
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 10
  PSG took 3 of their 8 goals from the bench by 30 Sep. Your brief says Mayulu (72') and Godts (84') then beat Lyon 2-0 from the bench, but I could not find a report to confirm it.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPT
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- Metaplace 6
  2 bench goals Oct 26 turned 14-point tie into 17-point lead – Mayulu 72' and Godts 84'
- Grokplace 10
  Mayulu in the 72nd minute and Godts in the 84th turned 0-0 into 2-0 and put PSG first, one point ahead of Rennes, from a squad on €226m a year.
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 1
  Young bench additions Mayulu and Godts broke Lyon's 72-minute deadlock to catapult Paris to first place at a fraction of past superstar wages.
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 4
  Both goals in Monday's 2-0 win over Lyon came off the bench — a €226M-a-year bench doing exactly what it was paid to do.
  Source ↗
- DeepSeekplace 2
  PSG's bench turned a 0-0 into first place on 26 October — the most expensive squad in France, but the goals that won the game came from Mayulu and Godts after they came on.
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 3
  Six bench goals, including Mayulu and Godts' late heroics, keep them top despite a massive payroll.
  Source ↗
8 AIs put it here
Source ↗
2
Ipswich Town
The promoted club leads the Premier League for bench goals: 3, 4 or 5 depending on the date and the source. Its wage bill is £548k a week, against City's £3.68m.
Included it: Claude, Meta, Grok, Kimi, DeepSeek. Did not include: ChatGPT, Gemini, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 3 · Meta: 2 · Grok: 3 · Kimi: 6 · DeepSeek: 7
What each AI noted 5
- Claudeplace 3
  Ipswich took 3 of their 7 goals from the bench on the 18th-largest wage bill in the league, about £548,000 a week.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 2
  3 of 7 goals from bench (42.86%) – highest share in PL per Kickoff, on £575k weekly wage
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 3
  A promoted side has led the Premier League's bench scorers all autumn, and the published total has been 3, then 5, then 4 inside four weeks.
- Kimiplace 6
  Three sub goals — level with Newcastle — on one of the Premier League's smallest wage bills: the best bench value in England.
- DeepSeekplace 7
  Ipswich's five substitute goals are the most in the Premier League — from the league's smallest wage bill.
  Source ↗
5 AIs put it here
Source ↗
3
Arsenal
All three of Arsenal's bench goals won the match, coming at 0-0, 1-1 and 0-0. These are the only checked points won from the bench, but the €235m wage bill buys that depth.
Included it: Grok, Gemini, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen. Did not include: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Kimi.
In their lists: Grok: 9 · Gemini: 7 · DeepSeek: 1 · Wenxin: 5 · Qwen: 8
What each AI noted 5
- Grokplace 9
  All three of Arsenal's league goals from the bench have won the match, halfway to the Premier League record of six, but the squad wage bill is €235m, sixth in Europe.
- Geminiplace 7
  A bench featuring €120k-a-week internationals produced 7 contributions, but at an astronomical squad overhead of €195M.
  Source ↗
- DeepSeekplace 1
  Every Arsenal substitute goal in the league this season has been a winner — three goals, nine points, and a wage bill that buys a deep bench rather than just a XI.
  Source ↗
- Wenxinplace 5
  Arteta's system squeezes 4 bench goals from a squad that costs less than half of City's
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 8
  Nine substitute goals keep the title dream alive without breaking the bank for every squad player.
  Source ↗
5 AIs put it here
Source ↗
4
AC Milan
Six of 10 league goals came off the bench by 30 Sep, the most of any big-five club. Moreira's late brace saved a point at Lazio. Wage bill €103–112m, €32–43m below Inter's.
Included it: Claude, Meta, Grok, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 1 · Meta: 5 · Grok: 1 · Kimi: 5
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 1
  Six of Milan's 10 league goals (60%) came off the bench, and their gross wage bill is about €43m below Inter's.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 5
  6 sub goals – most in Serie A early, 60% of team total per Kickoff
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 1
  On 30 September, 6 of Milan's 10 league goals had come from the bench, the most of any big-five club in that count, on a wage bill of €111.5m, about half of PSG's.
- Kimiplace 5
  No. 6 in the Big Five for bench goals — Milan's reserves are out-scoring the starters of half of Italy.
4 AIs put it here
Source ↗
5
RB Leipzig
Leipzig have the most bench goals in the Bundesliga: 6 according to kicker, 7 according to StatMuse. Their wage bill is about €80m, roughly a third of Bayern's.
Included it: Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen. Did not include: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Grok, Gemini.
In their lists: Kimi: 1 · DeepSeek: 6 · Wenxin: 10 · Qwen: 2
What each AI noted 4
- Kimiplace 1
  Seven goals off the bench — 35% of Leipzig's 20 league goals — the best substitute output in Europe's top five leagues, without Bayern's payroll.
- DeepSeekplace 6
  Leipzig's six substitute goals are the most in Germany, on a wage bill less than half Bayern's.
  Source ↗
- Wenxinplace 10
  A €180m bench that's still building — 3 substitute goals, but the coach's rotation plan is paying off
- Qwenplace 2
  Seven substitute goals in the Bundesliga show tactical planning over financial brute force.
4 AIs put it here
Source ↗
6
1. FC Köln
Köln had the highest bench share in the big five, 4 of 6 goals by 30 Sep. StatMuse later shows only 3, and no source gave a wage figure.
Included it: Claude, Meta, Grok. Did not include: ChatGPT, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 2 · Meta: 3 · Grok: 2
What each AI noted 3
- Claudeplace 2
  Two of every three Köln goals (4 of 6) came from substitutes, the highest share in the Bundesliga.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 3
  4 of 6 goals from bench (66.67%) – highest ratio in Big 5 per Kickoff
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 2
  Four of Köln's six league goals had come from substitutes by 30 September, a 66.7% share, the highest any club reached in that big-five count.
  Source ↗
3 AIs put it here
Source ↗
7
Juventus
Five of Juventus's 8 goals came off the bench, including Gatti's 92nd-minute equaliser against Milan. Yet Serie A's top wage bill (€145–150m) sits 7th: depth bought rather than points won.
Included it: Claude, Grok, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 5 · Grok: 5 · Kimi: 3
What each AI noted 3
- Claudeplace 5
  Juventus have the highest substitute share of any big club (5 of 8, 62.5%), and the second-highest wage bill in Serie A at €145.5m, just behind Inter.
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 5
  Five of eight league goals had come from the bench by 30 September, and Federico Gatti equalised in the 92nd minute after coming on in the 88th, yet Juve pay the highest wages in Serie A and sit 7th.
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 3
  Five sub goals in eight rounds — Italy's most productive bench, and Serie A's top earner (Lautaro, Inter) is a rival.
3 AIs put it here
Source ↗
8
Sevilla
Sevilla's bench goals rose from 4 of 10 on 30 Sep to 6, the most in La Liga by StatMuse's 24 Oct count. No source gave a wage figure.
Included it: Claude, Grok, Qwen. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin.
In their lists: Claude: 7 · Grok: 7 · Qwen: 4
What each AI noted 3
- Claudeplace 7
  Four of Sevilla's 10 goals (40%) came off the bench, and they sit 6th in La Liga on 14 points.
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 7
  StatMuse puts Sevilla first in La Liga with six bench goals, up from four of ten in the 30 September count, without a wage bill anywhere near Madrid or Barcelona.
- Qwenplace 4
  Six goals from substitutes prove that smart late-game management doesn't always need a Galáctico budget.
3 AIs put it here
Source ↗
9
SV Elversberg
Krattenmacher has three bench goals, one of them against Bayern, without starting a league game. The club had 3 of 8 goals from substitutes on 30 Sep, and StatMuse now counts 4.
Included it: Claude, Meta, Grok. Did not include: ChatGPT, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 8 · Meta: 8 · Grok: 4
What each AI noted 3
- Claudeplace 8
  Maurice Krattenmacher, 21, has three goals off the bench, including one against Bayern, without having started a league game.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 8
  3 of 8 goals from bench (37.5%) – promoted side on Bundesliga's lowest wage tier
  Source ↗
- Grokplace 4
  Maurice Krattenmacher had three league goals without a single start, including one against Bayern, for a newly arrived forward at a club outside the wage elite.
  Source ↗
3 AIs put it here
Source ↗
10
Villarreal
Five of Villarreal's 13 league goals came from substitutes by 30 Sep, according to Kickoff. Transfermarkt counted 4 after seven rounds. No source gave a wage figure.
Included it: Claude, Meta. Did not include: ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 6 · Meta: 10
What each AI noted 2
- Claudeplace 6
  Villarreal scored 5 of their 13 league goals as substitutes, the most substitute goals of any La Liga club in the Kickoff list.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 10
  5 bench goals – La Liga leader early per Kickoff, 38.46% of team goals
  Source ↗
2 AIs put it here
Source ↗

More about the top three ↓

02More about the top three

The ranking is above. Here is more about the three places at the top: what they are, why they are here, and what is worth knowing.

Bench-goal counts differ by source and date (Ipswich is 3, 4 or 5), and wages are quoted in both euros and pounds, so the three figures are not exactly comparable.

1Paris Saint-Germain

No. 1 — Paris Saint-Germain. On the lists of 8 of 9 AIs; median place there: 4. Two late substitute goals turned a 0-0 draw with Lyon into a win and first place, even with France's biggest wage bill.

Did you know

In 2024-25 PSG became the first French team to win the league, the cup and the Champions League in one season. The Analyst's treble article says so, and counts them as only the tenth club to do it.
Source ↗

What it is: France's richest club, with the biggest wage bill in the league.
Its edge: Its two bench goals against Lyon won the game and put it top.
Who should know: Useful for anyone who wants to see how big spending can still depend on the bench.

Bench goals vs wages2 bench goals; €175–226m wages
Founded1970
HeadquartersParis, Grand Paris

Wikipedia · Wikidata

History

In 2011 Qatar Sports Investments bought a 70% stake in PSG, and it took full ownership in March 2012. Before that, the club was struggling to win big trophies, and this takeover changed how it spent money.
Source ↗

Keep in mind

PSG have been owned by Qatar Sports Investments since 2011. A 2018 report says they were fined €60 million in 2014 for financial fair play breaches, and UEFA kept their spending under close scrutiny. The club denied breaking rules. This is older news.
Source ↗

Where to go further

Take the behind-the-scenes tour of the Parc des Princes: players' entrance, changing rooms, press room and the stands, plus a look at PSG's history. Open 10am to 5pm. Prices are on request, so call first. Look at the changing rooms first.
Source ↗

Compare the top three ↓

2Ipswich Town

No. 2 — Ipswich Town. On the lists of 5 of 9 AIs; median place there: 3. Promoted Ipswich lead the Premier League in bench goals while paying a fraction of the wages of the big clubs.

Did you know

In 1961-62, Ipswich won the English title in their very first top-flight season. Only one player, defender Andy Nelson, played every league game (all 42). The team used just 17 players across all competitions.
Source ↗

What it is: A newly promoted English club with one of the league's smaller wage bills.
Its edge: It has the most bench goals in the league on far lower wages than City.
Who should know: Useful for anyone curious whether a small payroll can still get goals from substitutes.

Bench goals vs wages3–5 bench goals, £548k/wk
Founded1878
HeadquartersIpswich, East Suffolk

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

Ipswich Town's weekly wage bill is £548,000. Manchester City's is £3,682,000. Ipswich has the smaller payroll but still ranks high for goals from substitutes, so each bench goal is cheap.
Source ↗
The same ranking lists Arsenal at £3,310,000 a week and Ipswich at £548,000, and puts Ipswich 18th for wages. Arsenal's weekly bill is roughly six times Ipswich's.
Source ↗

Did you know

That title team scored 93 league goals. Striker Ray Crawford got 33 of them in the league, and 37 in all competitions. The club finished on 56 points after 24 wins, 8 draws and 10 defeats.
Source ↗

History

In 2002 relegation from the Premier League cut the club's income, and Ipswich Town went into financial administration. It came out of administration during the 2003–04 season.
Source ↗

Where to go further

Take a guided tour of Portman Road, Ipswich Town's home. It visits the dressing rooms, tunnel, dugout and trophy room. Start with the home dressing room, the writer's highlight, then check current prices with the club.
Source ↗

Video: The Remarkable Rise of Ipswich Town · HITC Sevens

Compare the top three ↓

3Arsenal

No. 3 — Arsenal. On the lists of 5 of 9 AIs; median place there: 7. Every Arsenal bench goal won points, and its big wage bill pays for a deep squad.

Did you know

Arsenal hold the longest unbeaten run in English top-flight history: 49 league games, from May 2003 to October 2004. Arsenal's own record shows 36 wins, 13 draws and no defeats. Manchester United ended it with a 2-0 win.
Source ↗

What it is: A top English club with the third-highest wage bill in the league.
Its edge: All three of its bench goals won points, from 0-0, 1-1 and 0-0.
Who should know: Useful for anyone who wants to know if an expensive bench pays off in points.

Bench goals vs wages3 bench goals, all winners
Founded1886
HeadquartersLondon

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

Arsenal's weekly wage bill is £3,310,000, third-highest in the Premier League behind Manchester City (£3,682,000) and Liverpool (£3,675,000). Its bench goals come from one of the costliest squads in England.
Source ↗

Keep in mind

Saliba has not played since July 14, when he was hurt in France's semifinal loss to Spain. The injury seems to have aggravated an older back problem. Arteta cannot say whether he will be back before or after the November international break.
Source ↗

Where to go further

Arsenal's news page on the Emirates Stadium tour. Listen to the audio guide first, narrated by David Frimpong. It covers the dressing rooms and a walk onto the touchline. Check the club's booking details before you go.
Source ↗

DeepSeek put it first. What they saw in it

DeepSeek: Every Arsenal substitute goal in the league this season has been a winner — three goals, nine points, and a wage bill that buys a deep bench rather than just a XI.

Video: How Arteta Revived Arsenal Into a Premier League Giant · Spot Kick 90

Compare the top three ↓

The top three side by side

	Paris Saint-Germain	Ipswich Town	Arsenal
In the AIs' lists	8 / 9	5 / 9	5 / 9
Bench goals vs wages	2 bench goals; €175–226m wages	3–5 bench goals, £548k/wk	3 bench goals, all winners
Founded	1970	1878	1886
Headquarters	Paris, Grand Paris	Ipswich, East Suffolk	London
Put first by	Gemini	—	DeepSeek

Places with the same number of AIs are ordered by their average place in the AIs' own lists.

03Worth knowing

What the AIs noticed while building the list.

The league that pays the most has the quietest benches: substitutes scored 26.21% of Serie A goals (38 of 145) by 30 Sep, against 12.06% in the Premier League (17 of 141).

Noticed by:

Included it: Claude, Meta, Grok. Did not include: ChatGPT, Gemini, Kimi, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.

01Final list

Paris Saint-Germain

Ipswich Town

Arsenal

AC Milan

RB Leipzig

1. FC Köln

Juventus

Sevilla

SV Elversberg

Villarreal

02More about the top three

1Paris Saint-Germain

Did you know

2Ipswich Town

Did you know

3Arsenal

Did you know

The top three side by side

More ratings

03Worth knowing

04How we counted

1The question

2Why this topic

3Where it applies

4What we looked at

5Who ranked

6How the places were set

05Each AI's own list

What Claude noticed

What Meta noticed

What Grok noticed

What Gemini noticed

What Kimi noticed

What DeepSeek noticed

What Qwen noticed