Portugal superstar and current national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the most goals in football history. Ronaldo is at the top of the list with 895 goals for club and country combined. Cristiano Ronaldo has the most international appearances (212) and scored the most goals in men's international football (130).
Football is an age-old sport and has seen many prolific goal scorers in its rich history. Below is the list of players with the most goals in football history.
Most Goals in Football: All-Time Leading Goal Scorers
| Rank | Player | Total Goals Scored | Nationality | Years |
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 895 | Portugal | 2002 - Present |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | 838 | Argentina | 2004 - Present |
| 3 | Pele | 762 | Brazil | 1957 - 1977 |
| 4 | Romario | 755 | Brazil | 1985 - 2007 |
| 5 | Ferenc Puskas | 724 | Hungary | 1943 - 1966 |
| 6 | Josef Bican | 722 | Austria/Czechoslovakia | 1931 - 1955 |
| 7 | Jimmy Jones | 648 | Northern Ireland | 1947 - 1964 |
| 8 | Gerd Muller | 634 | Germany | 1964 - 1981 |
| 9 | Robert Lewandoswki | 630 | Poland | 2008 - Present |
| 10 | Joe Bambrick | 629 | Northern Ireland | 1926 - 1943 |
| 11 | Abe Lenstra | 624 | Netherlands | 1936 - 1963 |
| 12 | Eusebio | 619 | Portugal | 1957 - 1978 |
| 13 | Luis Suarez | 571 | Uruguay | 2005 - Present |
| 14 | Glenn Ferguson | 563 | Northern Ireland | 1987 - 2011 |
| 15 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 561 | Sweden | 1987 - 2023 |
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Cristiano Ronaldo (895 Goals: 130 Country, 765 Club)
Cristiano Ronaldo is approaching the 900-goal landmark in football. He will be playing for Al Nassr in the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo scored 450 goals for Real Madrid, 145 goals for Manchester United, 101 for Juventus, 64 for Al Nassr and 5 for Sporting CP. Ronaldo has 130 goals for Portugal.
Lionel Messi (838 goals: 109 Country, 729 Club)
Argentina’s Lionel Messi sits second on the list and will likely challenge Cristiano Ronaldo for the top position of the most scored goals. Messi is regarded as the most technically perfect player to grace the sport. Lionel Messi has scored a massive 729 goals at the club level and has managed 109 goals for Argentina.
Pele (762 goals: 77 Country, 685 Club)
Arguably one of the greatest football players, Pele was one of the first superstars of the football world with his displays in Brazil’s iconic yellow jersey. His heroics have taken Brazil to World Cup glory thrice (1958, 1962, 1970). As per official records, Pele scored 762 official goals in his career.
Also read: Messi vs Ronaldo - Know Who is better?
Most Goals in International Football: Top 10 List
| Rank | Player | Total Goals Scored | Nationality | Years |
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 130 | Portugal | 2003 - Present |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | 109 | Argentina | 2005 - Present |
| 3 | Ali Daei | 109 | Iran | 1993 - 2006 |
| 4 | Sunil Chhetri | 94 | India | 2005 - 2024 |
| 5 | Mokhtar Dahari | 89 | Malaysia | 1972 - 1985 |
| 6 | Ali Mabkhout | 85 | UAE | 2009 - Present |
| 7 | Romelu Lukaku | 85 | Belgium | 2010 - Present |
| 8 | Ferenc Puskas | 84 | Hungary | 1945 - 1956 |
| 9 | Robert Lewandoswki | 82 | Poland | 2008 - Present |
| 10 | Neymar Jr. | 79 | Brazil | 2010 - Present |
Cristiano Ronaldo (130 goals | 212 appearances)
Cristiano Ronaldo is the first player to record 200 international appearances in men’s football. With 130 goals, the Portuguese star is now the undisputed goalscoring king in international football. Ronaldo has scored 8 goals in the FIFA World Cup finals, 14 at the UEFA Euro finals, and 10 hat-tricks for Portugal. Ronaldo appeared in his 6th European Championships in 2024.
Lionel Messi (109 goals | 186 appearances)
Arguably one of the best players in world football, Lionel Messi has scored 109 goals for the ‘La Albiceleste’ on the international stage. He becomes the second-highest goal scorer in international football. The 2021 Copa America, 2022 Finalissima and 2022 Football World Cup win are his trophy success with the national team. The former Barcelona and PSG superstar have scored 8 hat-tricks for Argentina. Messi is currently playing in 2024 Copa America.
Ali Daei (108 goals | 148 appearances)
Iran’s football legend Ali Daei scored 109 goals on the international stage between 1993 and 2006, a record that withstood for 15 years. He played club football for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Hertha BSC and scored 8 hat-tricks for Iran.
Sunil Chhetri (94 goals | 151 appearances)
Chhetri is the captain and the flag bearer of Indian football for over a decade. With 94 goals in 151 appearances, he is the 4th highest goal scorer in international football, behind only Ronaldo, Messi and Ali Daei. Chhetri retired from international football after the AFC 2nd Round Qualifiers for the 2024 Football World Cup.
Also read: Best Football Player in World 2024
Highest Goal Scorers in Football in Year 2024
| Rank | Player | Goals Scored | Nationality | Club |
| 1 | Viktor Gyokeres | 25 | Sweden | Sporting CP |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappe | 23 | France | Real Madrid |
| 3 | Luuk de Jong | 19 | Netherlands | PSV Eindhoven |
| 4 | Erling Haaland | 19 | Norway | Manchester City |
| 5 | Jonathan David | 19 | Canada | Lille |
FAQs
Who has the highest goals in international football?
Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals scored in men's international football (130).
How many goals has Messi scored in international football?
Lionel Messi has scored 109 goals in men's international football. Messi made his international debut for Argentina on 17 August 2005.
Has any footballer scored 1000 goals?
According to unofficial records, Legendary Brazilian football player great Pelé has scored 1000 goals in in his career.
Who has scored most goals in history?
With 895 goals, Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals scored in history.
