Most goals in football: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi headline legendary list
Footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, and Luis Suárez are among the active players who have scored over 500 goals in their careers.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in football history.
With a remarkable 901 goals across both club and international competitions, Cristiano Ronaldo leads the all-time list for the most goals in football history.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-time rival, Lionel Messi, ranks second on the all-time goal-scoring list in football history. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner has scored an astounding 838 goals over the course of his legendary career.
Football legends like Pelé, Romário, and Ferenc Puskás round out the top five list of the most goals in football history.
Besides Ronaldo and Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Luis Suárez are among the few active footballers who have surpassed 500+ goals across both club and international levels.
Know players with most goals in football history.
List of footballers with 500 or more goals…..
| Rank | Player | Country | Total | Career Time | League | Cup | Continental Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 901 | 2002–present | 549 | 56 | 164 |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 840 | 2004–present | 511 | 71 | 149 |
| 3 | Pelé | Brazil | 762 | 1957–1977 | 604 | 49 | 26 |
| 4 | Romário | Brazil | 755 | 1985–2007 | 544 | 93 | 54 |
| 5 | Ferenc Puskás | Hungary/Spain | 724 | 1943–1966 | 515 | 69 | 56 |
| 6 | Josef Bican | Austria/Czechoslovakia | 722 | 1931–1955 | 515 | 134 | 41 |
| 7 | Jimmy Jones | Northern Ireland | 648 | 1947–1964 | 332 | 290 | 14 |
| 8 | Robert Lewandowski | Poland | 635 | 2008–present | 390 | 57 | 104 |
| 9 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 634 | 1964–1981 | 405 | 92 | 69 |
| 10 | Joe Bambrick | Northern Ireland | 629 | 1926–1943 | 348 | 260 | 0 |
| 11 | Abe Lenstra | Netherlands | 624 | 1937–1960 | 573 | 18 | 0 |
| 12 | Eusébio | Portugal | 619 | 1957–1978 | 422 | 97 | 59 |
| 13 | Luis Suárez | Uruguay | 579 | 2005–present | 405 | 48 | 57 |
| 14 | Glenn Ferguson | Northern Ireland | 563 | 1987–2011 | 313 | 241 | 9 |
| 15 | Zlatan Ibrahimović | Sweden | 561 | 1999–2023 | 394 | 48 | 57 |
| 16 | Fernando Peyroteo | Portugal | 553 | 1937–1949 | 464 | 72 | 3 |
| 17 | Uwe Seeler | West Germany | 552 | 1954–1972 | 447 | 41 | 21 |
| 18 | Jimmy McGrory | Scotland | 552 | 1922–1937 | 409 | 131 | 0 |
| 19 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Argentina/Spain | 530 | 1945–1966 | 376 | 55 | 70 |
| 20 | György Sárosi | Hungary | 517 | 1930–1948 | 351 | 22 | 102 |
| 21 | Roberto Dinamite | Brazil | 511 | 1971–1992 | 476 | 8 | 5 |
| 22 | Hugo Sánchez | Mexico | 507 | 1976–1997 | 390 | 49 | 38 |
Cristiano Ronaldo | 901 goals
Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history, Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the all-time top goalscorer. With an astonishing 901 senior career goals for both club and country, Ronaldo has been a prolific scorer at the club level for Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, Al-Nassr, and Sporting CP.
He also holds the record for the most goals in international football, having scored 132 goals in 214 appearances for Portugal since his senior debut in 2003. Ronaldo’s extraordinary goal-scoring record has earned him numerous individual accolades, including five Ballon d’Or awards, a record three UEFA Men’s Player of the Year titles, and four European Golden Shoes, the most by any European player. Over his illustrious career, Ronaldo has won 33 trophies, including seven league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, the UEFA European Championship, and the UEFA Nations League.
Lionel Messi | 838 goals
Argentine footballer Lionel Messi ranks second on the all-time list for the most goals in football history. Widely considered the greatest player of all time, Messi has dazzled fans with his extraordinary playmaking and goal-scoring abilities.
The left-footed magician has scored 838 goals in his illustrious career so far. Having spent the majority of his professional career at FC Barcelona, Messi is the club’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals across all competitions. He has also added to his tally with stints at Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
Internationally, Messi has scored 109 goals, placing him second on the list of international goal scorers, just behind his long-time rival, Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi is the most decorated player in football history, with 44 team trophies to his name, including a FIFA World Cup, two Copa América titles, 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and four UEFA Champions League titles. On a personal level, Messi has claimed a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, six European Golden Shoes, and has been named the world’s best player by FIFA a record eight times.
Pele | 762 goals
Pelé ranks third on the list of the most goals in football history. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, is often celebrated as one of the greatest football players of all time.
A hugely influential and popular sports figure of the 20th century, Pelé scored 762 goals throughout his legendary career, encompassing both club and international levels. His record of 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches, including friendlies, is recognized as a Guinness World Record. Pelé, who played as both a forward and attacking midfielder, won three FIFA World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970. He held the national team’s top scorer record for over 50 years with 77 goals in 92 games before Neymar surpassed him.
At the club level, Pelé is the all-time top scorer for Santos, with 643 goals in 659 matches. He was instrumental in Santos’ victories in the 1962 and 1963 Copa Libertadores and the 1962 and 1963 Intercontinental Cup. Additionally, Pelé scored 37 goals for the New York Cosmos between 1975 and 1977
Etc. Players……
Q&A ?
1. Who is the all-time top goal scorer in football?
Answer: Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in football history, with 901 goals scored across club and international competitions.
2. How many goals has Lionel Messi scored in his career?
Answer: Lionel Messi has scored 838 goals in his career, making him the second highest goal scorer in football history.
3. What is Pelé’s total goal count?
Answer: Pelé has scored a total of 762 goals in his career, ranking third on the list of all-time top goal scorers.
4. How many goals did Romário score in his professional career?
Answer: Romário scored 755 goals throughout his professional career, placing him fourth on the all-time goal-scoring list.
5. Where does Ferenc Puskás rank among the top goal scorers, and how many goals did he score?
Answer: Ferenc Puskás ranks fifth on the list of top goal scorers with a total of 724 goals.
6. Who holds the record for the most goals in international football?
Answer: Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in international football with 132 goals.
7. How many goals has Robert Lewandowski scored in his career?
Answer: Robert Lewandowski has scored 635 goals in his career, making him one of the active players with over 500 goals.
8. What are some notable achievements of Lionel Messi?
Answer: Lionel Messi has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, six European Golden Shoes, the FIFA World Cup, two Copa América titles, and multiple league titles and UEFA Champions League titles.
9. How many World Cups did Pelé win, and with which team?
Answer: Pelé won three FIFA World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
10. What is the Guinness World Record held by Pelé?
Answer: Pelé holds the Guinness World Record for the most goals scored in official matches, with 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches, including friendlies.