Over the years, football has been fortunate to produce some incredibly talented goal scorers. The all-time top 15 list as of 2024 includes some of the most recognizable athletes in the game, all of them have left a lasting impression on the beautiful game.
These legends have demonstrated their extraordinary skill, unshakable dedication, and unyielding passion by continually delivering the goods. Their remarkable goal totals are evidence of their diligence, inventiveness, and capacity for success under duress. Every player on this list, from the irresistible forces of Lionel Messi and Pelé to the captivating abilities of Josef Bican and Romário, has inspired countless fans and left a lasting legacy in the sport of football.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo [ 893 Goals]
No player has ever scored as many goals for Real Madrid as Ronaldo has scored, and he also leads the way for Portugal. In fact, Ronaldo’s haul for his country is more than any other male player at international level.
He has found the back of the net a total of 893 times throughout his illustrious career and won three Premier League titles, five Champions League titles, and Euro 2016, to name just a few of his many trophies. Despite turning 38 in February, the former Juventus and Manchester United star has shown he still has much to give for both club and country, having scored more goals than anyone else in the calendar year of 2023, striking 52 times for Portugal and Al-NassrWe are unlikely to see another striker as good as Cristiano Ronaldo, whose goal-scoring mindset has made him the greatest marksman in sporting history.
After beginning out as a quick-footed winger, the Portuguese star dominated the goalscoring charts for the majority of the twenty-first century, breaking record after record, producing Champions League totals that may never be matched.
2. Lionel Messi [835 Goals]
Lionel Messi is often regarded as the best player in history, and he is equally adept at creating and taking chances. Indeed, the small Argentine has scored over 800 goals in little over 1000 professional games.
He made his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2004 and quickly established himself as one of the most exciting talents in football. Over the years, Messi has broken numerous records, including:
Most goals for a single club: Messi scored 672 goals for Barcelona across all competitions before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
Most Ballon d’Or awards: Messi has won the prestigious award 7 times, recognizing him as the world’s best player more times than any other player in history.
Most goals in a calendar year: Messi set a record in 2012 by scoring 91 goals for club and country, surpassing Gerd Müller’s previous record of 85 goals in 1972.
Most hat-tricks in La Liga: Messi has scored 36 hat-tricks in Spain’s top flight, more than any other player.
And second top scorer in inter Miami history
3. Josef Bican [805 goals]
He was a celebrity in Austria in the 1930s, having played for the team that reached the 1934 World Cup semi-finals, but he continued to play until 1955, retiring at the age of 42. By that time, Bican, a two-footed forward with sprinter-like speed, had scored 805 goals.
There have been various stories concerning Bican’s official goal record, but with FIFA’s 2020 commemoration of his birth anniversary, it was discovered that he scored 805 goals in a career spanning 1931 to 1955. Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1913, Bican’s career took off in the Austrian league before he moved to Czechoslovakia, where he would cement his status as a footballing legend. His most prolific years were spent with Slavia Prague, where he became the league’s top scorer in multiple seasons.
4. Romario [775 Goals]
Brazil superstar Ronaldo claims he learned the technique of goal-scoring from Romario, a man hailed by legendary Barcelona coach Johann Cruyff as “a genius” in the penalty area.
Indeed, Romario was one of the game’s most clinical finishers, as seen by his 775-goal record. Starting his career at Vasco da Gama in Brazil, Romário quickly established himself as a prolific striker. His journey took him across the globe, featuring stints at PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands and Barcelona in Spain, where his goal-scoring prowess was on full display. At Barcelona, under the management of Johan Cruyff, Romário was part of the famous “Dream Team,” contributing significantly to the club’s success, including winning the La Liga title in the 1993-1994 season.
5. Pele [762 goals]
Franz Beckenbauer regarded Pele as the best player of all time, and he was also one of the most productive forwards in the sport’s history.
‘The King’, a three-time World Cup champion with Brazil, is still widely regarded as the best player to have ever graced the beautiful game, having scored 762 goals throughout his spectacular, trophy-laden career.
6. Ferenc Puskas [729 goals]
Ferenc Puskas, dubbed ‘The Galloping Major’, was a major member of two of football’s greatest teams: Hungary’s ‘Magnificent Magyars’ and Real Madrid’s 1960 European Cup champions. He was short and portly, and his right foot wasn’t very powerful; nevertheless, his left was a cannon, and he scored the majority of his 729 goals with it from 1943 to 1966.
7. Jimmy Jones [647 goals]
Jones spent most of his career in his country, where he was virtually unstoppable and had a reputation for reaching the back of the goal at an alarming rate.
He is the highest goalscorer in the history of Irish League football, having scored 517 goals with Glenavon, topping their goal statistics for ten straight seasons between 1952-53 and 1961-62, and totaling 647 for his numerous teams.
8. Robert Lewandowski [650 goals]
FIFA named Lewandowski the greatest player in the world in 2020 and 2021. He began his career in Dortmund before solidifying his fame at Bayern Munich, where he broke multiple Bundesliga goal-scoring records.
He presently plays for another legendary team, Barcelona.
The 34-year-old has also had a successful international career, finishing as Poland’s all-time best scorer and the third-highest men’s international goalscorer in Europe, trailing only Ferenc Puskás and Cristiano Ronaldo.
9. Gerd Muller [634 goals]
Gerd Muller, the great poacher, was known for his predatory instincts in the penalty area. The Bayern Munich legend, who scored the winning goal for West Germany in the 1974 World Cup final, averaged more than one goal per game at the international level (68 in just 62 games).
‘Der Bomber’, a small and stocky striker endowed with explosive strength, retired with a total of 634 goals.
10. Eusebio || 619 goals.
Eusebio, known as O Rei in Portugal, was one of the most prolific goal scorers of the 1960s and 1970s, leading a Benfica team that dominated domestically and conquered Europe. Eusebio was an iconic personality in Lisbon who is well-remembered by fans all over the world. He had an unbelievable goals-per-game ratio, scoring 619 goals in 639 games.
NOTABLE SCORER IN THE LIST
- Luis Suárez: Over 571 career goals
- Zlatan Ibrahimović: 570 career goals
- Alfredo Di Stéfano: 511 career goals
- Hugo Sánchez: 487 career goals
- Thierry Henry: 411 career goals
