Best Goalscorers All-Time (Official Matches)
Best Goalscorers All-Time (All Matches)
Best Goalscorers All-Time (Official Matches - Top level)
Best Goalscorers All-Time (All Matches - Top level)
Best League Goalscorers All-Time
Before reaching 30 Years of age
After reaching 30 Years of age
International matches/Selects
One team (official matches)
One team (all matches)
One season (official matches)
One season (all matches)
One season (all matches – Top level)
10 consecutive seasons
Official matches with goals (total)
Official matches with goals (season)
All hat-tricks (official matches)
- only famous players with verified statistics (mostly with the data in each match);
all players were topscorer of top level league (over 70 players) and/or played for
their national team; the only exception is the topscorer of the English League (all
division), Arthur Rowley (played one match for England B).
- the sources: club books or historical websites, old press.
- the statistics of players in African and Australian competitions need detailed data:
Peyroteo, Milla, Chitalu (over 500 goals), Alfred Quill (over 800 goals),
Reginald Date (over 600 goals) etc.
NB: data of Roger Milla has been temporarily removed from the list in order to verify
statistics for some of his seasons.
included:
- all leagues (incl. regional-, reserve-, amateur-)
- national and international cups
- all selections: A, B, Ol, U, league, armee, senior, regional, city, etc. - against the same selections
- other official tournaments
- some traditional international tournaments (e.g. Intertoto since 1961, Alpencup etc.)
- several traditional national tournaments and games (organized by the football union),
e.g. pre-season tournaments in Hungary (1930th-1970th), Germany (since 1990th),
winter tournament in Prague (1940th, always with Slavia and Sparta),
summer war tournaments, all-star games (MLS, South Korea, Japan),
FIFA/UEFA sel. and others
- all cancelled games
G. M.
1 Ronaldo, Cristiano (Portugal) 1985 2002- 994 1366*
2 Helmchen, Erwin (Germany) 1907 1924-1951 989+ 582
3 Bican, Josef (Austria, CSR/Сzech) 1913 1930-1957 950+ 624
4 Messi, Lionel (Argentina) 1987 2003- 948 1220*
5 Rooke, Ronald (England) 1911 1929-1961 940+ 1035 #
6 Jones, James (North Ireland) 1928 1943-1965 840+ 760
7 Puskás, Ferenc (Hungary) 1927 1943-1967 802 792
8 Deak, Ferenc (Hungary) 1922 1939-1959 795+ 515
9 Lenstra, Abe (Netherlands) 1920 1936-1964 790+ 850
10 Romário (Brazil) 1966 1984-2009 785 1003
11 Pelé (Brazil) 1940 1956-1977 778 851
12 Lewandowski, Robert (Poland) 1988 2004- 752 1112*
13 Lawton, Tommy (England) 1919 1935-1957 749+ 833 #
14 Müller, Gerd (Germany) 1945 1963-1981 735 793
15 Hughes, Samuel „Sammy“ (North Ireland) 1926 1942-1963 722+ 752
16 Bambrick, Joe (North Ireland) 1905 1925-1943 690+ 578
17 Willimowski, Ernst (Poland, Germany) 1916 1932-1957 683+ 484
18 Waring, Thomas „Pongo“ (England) 1906 1924-1948 672+ 736+
19 Martin, David "Boy" (North Ireland) 1914 1930-1947 642+ 547
20 Bene, Ferenc (Hungary) 1944 1959-1985 634 972
21 Eusebio (Portugal) 1942 1960-1978 634+ 663
22 Mortensen, Stanley (England) 1921 1938-1962 628+ 822
23 Peyroteo, Fernando (Portugal) 1918 1937-1949 625 380
24 Smith, Joseph (England) 1889 1908-1931 617+ 903
25 Roberts, Frederick (North Ireland) 1905 1922-1937 613+ 471
26 Suárez, Luis (Uruguay) 1987 2005- 612 1054*
27 Zsengeller, Gyula (Hungary) 1915 1931-1953 611+ 650
28 Greaves, James (England) 1940 1956-1980 590+ 842
29 Seeler, Uwe (Germany) 1936 1954-1972 586 688
30 Walter, Fritz (Germany) 1920 1938-1959 586+ 583
31 Tulio „Maravilha“ (Brazil) 1969 1987-2014 585 950+
32 Ibrahimovic, Zlatan (Sweden) 1981 1999-2023 582 1001
33 Wilson, David (England) 1908 1927-1947 581+ 626
34 Kelly, James (North Ireland) 1911 1925-1957 574+ 1004
35 Schlosser, Imre (Hungary) 1889 1906-1928 570 464
36 Ferguson, Glenn (North Ireland) 1969 1987-2011 570 1085
37 Binder, Franz (Austria) 1911 1927-1949 569+ 431
38 Fleming, Charles (Scotland) 1927 1947-1965 569 766+
39 Gallacher, Hugh (Scotland) 1903 1920-1940 569+ 717
40 Dean, William "Dixie" (England) 1907 1923-1940 568 612
41 Aldridge, John (Ireland) 1958 1976-1998 565+ 990
42 Langara, Isidro (Spain) 1912 1930-1948 564+ 458
43 Sanchez, Hugo (Mexico) 1958 1974-1998 562 956
44 Torres, Jose (Portugal) 1938 1958-1980 561 615
45 Benzema, Karim (France) 1987 2004- 558 1049*
46 McGrory, James (Scotland) 1904 1922-1938 558 549
47 Kocsis, Sandor (Hungary) 1929 1946-1966 556 538
48 Dechamps, Paul (Belgium) 1921 1939-1964 552+ 612
49 Halliday, David (Scotland) 1902 1920-1938 551+ 642
50 Smith, James (Scotland) 1911 1928-1947 550+ 521
51 Zico (Brazil) 1954 1971-1994 546 798
52 Kane, Harry (England) 1993 2010- 545 809*
53 Szusza, Ferenc (Hungary) 1923 1940-1961 545 600
54 Dodds, Ephraim „Jock“ (Scotland) 1915 1932-1950 542 614
55 Takacs II, Jozsef (Hungary) 1904 1920-1942 542 528
56 Dickson, Thomas (North Ireland) 1929 1946-1966 539+ 775
57 Harder, Otto (Germany) 1892 1910-1934 538+ 324+
58 Westcott, Dennis (England) 1917 1933-1954 535+ 587
59 Mermans, Joseph (Belgium) 1922 1937-1960 528 652
60 Ferguson, Hugh (Scotland) 1895 1914-1930 525+ 559
61 di Stefano, Alfredo (Argentina, Spain) 1926 1945-1966 524 720
62 Hidegkuti, Nandor (Hungary) 1922 1938-1958 523 674
63 Dickson, Desmond (North Ireland) 1948 1964-1983 523+ 715
64 Krankl, Johann (Austria) 1953 1970-1989 522 727 #
65 Nordahl, Gunnar (Sweden) 1921 1936-1961 520+ 602 #
66 Roberto „Dinamite“ (Brazil) 1954 1971-1992 519 869
67 Richardson, William (England) 1909 1928-1946 518+ 622
68 Brown, George (England) 1903 1920-1938 517+ 711+
69 Thompson, Trevor (North Ireland) 1936 1955-1969 513+ 588
70 Chinaglia, Giorgio (Italy) 1947 1962-1990 512+ 710 #
71 McLean, David (Scotland) 1890 1906-1931 511+ 801
72 Sarosi, Gyorg, Dr. (Hungary) 1912 1928-1948 511 607
73 Camsell, Georg (England) 1902 1923-1942 509+ 593
74 Rowley, Arthur (England) 1926 1941-1967 508+ 744
75 Auer (Avar), Stefan (Hungary/Romania) 1905 1922-1949 507+ 449
76 Carter, Horatio „Raich“ (England) 1913 1928-1953 506+ 843
77 Bloomer, Stephen (England) 1874 1891-1920 505 757 #
78 Guy, Dennis (North Ireland) 1944 1960-1976 504+ 631
79 van der Kuijlen, Willy (Netherland) 1946 1962-1983 504 807
80 De Cleyn, Albert (Belgium) 1917 1933-1955 503 588
81 Onnis, Delio (Argentina) 1948 1966-1986 502 747
82 Tichy, Lajos (Hungary) 1936 1952-1971 500 628
NB: * indicates player is still active (at last update);
+ indicates number is a lower bound - player may have scored more;
# corrected or added data after last update (only inactive players).
Notes: there may be other players with 500 or more goals.
Goals Matches Tichy, Lajos 1917 1307 Bican, Josef 1813+ 1089 Helmchen, Erwin 1611+ 939 Puskas, Ferenc 1569+ 1270 Müller, Gerhard 1483 1228 Bene, Ferenc 1424+ 1481 Deak, Ferenc 1374+ 839 Pele 1324 1413 Takacs II, Jozsef 1218+ 943 Binder, Franz 1202+ 833 Kocsis, Sandor 1187+ 906 Szusza, Ferenc 1156+ 1029 Szilagyi, Guyla 1112+ 918 Sarosi, György 1098+ 1051 Zsengeller, Gyula 1080+ 964 # Willimowski, Ernst 1079+ 691 Ronaldo, Cristiano 1057 1477* Hidegkuti, Nandor 1043+ 1074 Rooke, Ronald 1037+ 1111 # Lenstra, Abe 1031+ 1099 Messi, Lionel 1026 1314* Albert, Florian 1018+ 1097 Schlosser, Imre 1016+ 800 Auer (Avar), Stefan 1007+ 780 Romario 1002 1209
NB: preliminary list Ronaldo, Cristiano 978* Messi, Lionel 921* Pele 770 Romario 761 Puskas, Ferenc 760 Bican, Josef 743 Lewandowski, Robert 697* Jones, James 659 Lenstra, Abe 645 Müller, Gerhard 640 Bambrick, Joseph 634 Peyroteo, Fernando 625 Suárez, Luis 610* Seeler, Uwe 567 Ferguson, Glenn 563 Ibrahimovic, Zlatan 562 McGrory, James 558 Eusebio 555 Schlosser, Imre 554 di Stefano, Alfredo 524 Benzema, Karim 523* Kane, Harry 514* Roberto Dinamite 514 Zsengeller, Gyula 513 Zico 511 Sanchez, Hugo 507 Bene, Ferenc 506 Kocsis, Sandor 505 Sarosi, György 505
NB: preliminary list containing: 1. Official goals in top level; 2. All international friendlies; 3. National friendlies against top-league teams; tournaments; select matches. Pele 770 396 108 1274 Bican, Josef 743 195 143 1081 Ronaldo, Cristiano 978 44 3 1025 Puskas, Ferenc 761 179 71 1011 NB: most likely only these 4 players scored over 1000 goals at this level in football history.
(all leagues incl. regional/ reserve leagues, final tournaments) Rooke, Ronald 773+ (over 420 goals in Regional/Reserve Leagues) # Helmchen, Erwin 720+ Lenstra, Abe 683+ Bican, Josef 676+ Deak, Ferenc 648+ Ronaldo, Cristiano 600* Messi, Lionel 576* Puskas, Ferenc 548 Romario 546 Pele 538 Müller, Gerhard 497 Tulio „Maravilha“ 497 Zsengeller, Gyula 490 Lawton, Thomas 483+ Jones, James 479+ Lewandowski, Robert 477* Langara, Isidro 477 Roberto Dinamite 476 Mermans, Joseph 475 Walter, Fritz 469+ De Cleyn, Albert 469 (only top leagues) Ronaldo, Cristiano 600* Messi, Lionel 565* Bican, Josef 526 Puskas, Ferenc 516 De Cleyn, Albert 431 Lewandowski, Robert 427* Schlosser, Imre 417 Zsengeller, Gyula 416 Suárez, Luis 414* McGrory, James 408 Müller, Gerhard 405 Sanchez, Hugo 394 Ibrahimovic, Zlatan 394 Szusza, Ferenc 393 Bianchi, Carlos 385
Pele 675 Deak, Ferenc 635+ Lawton, Thomas 632+ Helmchen, Erwin 629+ Bambrick, Joseph 610+ Roberts, Frederick 600+ Hughes, Samuel 599+ Jones, James 593+ Messi, Lionel 593 Müller, Gerhard 570 Puskas, Ferenc 556 Peyroteo, Fernando 556 Martin, David "Boy" 537+ Dean, William "Dixie" 528 Schlosser, Imre 515 Greaves, James 511 Zsengeller, Gyula 506 Bene, Ferenc 504 Bican, Josef 504+ Binder, Franz 495+ Ronaldo, Cristiano 483
Ronaldo, Cristiano 511* Rooke, Ronald 494+# Romario 451 Bican, Josef 446+ Smith, Joseph 379+ Harder, Otto 373+ Helmchen, Erwin 360+ Messi, Lionel 355* Ibrahimovic, Zlatan 346 Lewandowski, Robert 338* Waring, Thomas 330+ Lenstra, Abe 328+
(A-, B-, Ol-, U-, league-, regional-, city-, veteran-, other selects - against same selects) Ronaldo, Cristiano 164* Messi, Lionel 141* Kocsis, Sandor 123 Puskas, Ferenc 120 Woodward, Vivian 120 (incl. 23 goals ag. regional selects of South Africa and 1 goal in 4 matches for British Army select, 1919) Daei, Ali 114 Tichy, Lajos 106 Kane, Harry 102* Mabkhout, Ali 100 Chhetri, Sunil 99* Neymar 98* Håland, Erling 96* Saeed, Hussein 96 Lukaku, Romelu 95*
Messi, Lionel 672 Barcelona Helmchen, Erwin 667+ PSV Chemnitz Pele 643 Santos Bican, Josef 622 Slavia Praha Peyroteo, Fernando 579 Sporting Lissboa Müller, Gerhard 573 FC Bayern Lenstra, Abe 531 Heerenveen Bambrick, Joseph 524 Linfield McGrory, James 524 Celtic Jones, James 515 Glenavon Walter, Fritz 513+ 1.FC Kaiserslautern Seeler, Uwe 508 Hamburger SV
Müller, Gerhard 1256 FC Bayern Tichy, Lajos 1245 Honved Budapest Helmchen, Erwin 1141+ PSV Chemnitz Pele 1089 Santos Bican, Josef 1045+ Slavia Praha Binder, Franz 989+ Rapid Wien
Willimowski, Ernst 1940-41 107 45 Bambrick, Joe 1929-30 96 57 Roberts, Frederick 1930-31 96 48 Turnbull, James 1936-37 93 48 (82 Belfast Celtic, 11 Celtic 2nd) Messi, Lionel 2012* 91 69 Müller, Gerhard 1972* 85 60 Bambrick, Joseph 1927-28 84 52 Deak, Ferenc 1948-49 83 46 Messi, Lionel 2011-12 82 69 Bican, Josef 1943-44 82 36 Dean, William 1927-28 81 50 Martin, David 1932-33 80 51 Bambrick, Joseph 1928-29 78 54 Helmchen, Erwin 1929-30 77 33 Dodds, Ephraim „Jock“ 1941-42 77 39 Martin, David 1933-34 77 50 Bican, Josef 1939-40 76 34 Bican, Josef 1940-41 75 38 Bambrick, Joseph 1933-34 75 49 Pele 1958 75 53 Bambrick, Joseph 1932-33 75 58 Binder, Franz 1939-40 74 43 Hughes, Samuel 1952-53 74 55 Jones, James 1956-57 74 61 Kane, Harry 2025-26 73 65 NEW Helmchen, Erwin 1931-32 73 29 Deak, Ferenc 1945-46 73 38 Müller, Gerhard 1972-73 73 54 Romario 2000 73 75 Peyroteo, Fernando 1939-40 72 36 Zsengeller, Gyula 1938-39 72 43 Pele 1965 72 52 Kocsis, Sandor 1954 71 45 Willimowski, Ernst 1941-42 71 34
Tichy, Lajos 1959-60 201 86 Kocsis, Sandor 1954 171 80 Tichy, Lajos 1961-62 154 80 Müller, Gerhard 1976-77 146 72 Tichy, Lajos 1962-63 145 72 Tichy, Lajos 1958-59 141 80 Deak, Ferenc 1948-49 139 75 Müller, Gerhard 1971-72 137 92 Sarosi, György 1937-38 136 69 Willimowski, Ernst 1940-41 129 52 Pele 1959 128 107 Bican, Josef 1943-44 126 44 Deak, Ferenc 1947-48 123 74 Bene, Ferenc 1964 122 72 Tichy, Lajos 1960-61 121 67 Helmchen, Erwin 1931-32 120 53 Tichy's seasonal statistics are based on data from Pongracz' book and are conjectural.
NB: preliminary list containing: 1. Official goals in top level; 2. All international friendlies; 3. National friendlies against top-league teams; tournaments; select matches. Pele 1959 120 101(68/55, 42/36 Int, 4/4 sel, 6/6 ag. clubs) Willimowski, Ernst 1940-41 111 48 Pele 1961 105 72 Roberts, Frederick 1930-31 105 53 Bambrick, Joseph 1929-30 103 60 Pele 1965 103 74 Kocsis, Sandor 1954 101 60 Deak, Ferenc 1948-49 99 57 Messi, Lionel 2012* 98 74 Sarosi, György 1937-38 95 49
Bambrick, Joseph 1926-1936 621 Deak, Ferenc 1941-1951 611+ (incl. Div.2/3) Bican, Josef 1938-1948 595 Messi, Lionel 2009-2019 581 Helmchen, Erwin 1926-1936 563 Ronaldo, Cristiano 2010-2020 558 Roberts, Frederick 1923-1933 550+ (incl. Div.2/3) Pele 1957-1966 546 Peyroteo, Fernando 1937-1947 535 Jones, James 1951-1961 497 Lawton, Thomas 1938-1948 497+ Müller, Gerhard 1968-1978 490 Lewandowski, Robert 2015-2025 479 Puskas, Ferenc 1946-1955 475 Harder, Otto 1919-1929 472+
Ronaldo, Cristiano 671* Messi, Lionel 628* Rooke, Ronald 577+ # Lewandowski, Robert 522* Romario 495 Lenstra, Abe 486+ Puskas, Ferenc 474 Jones, James 470 Pele 469 Helmchen, Erwin 451+ Bican, Josef 439+ Müller, Gerhard 437
Kane, Harry 2025-26 47 Messi, Lionel 2012 47 Romario 2000 46 Bambrick, Joseph 1929-30 45 Ronaldo, Cristiano 2012 44 Ronaldo, Cristiano 2011-12 43 Messi, Lionel 2012-13 43
NB: preliminary list Helmchen, Erwin 142+ Bican, Josef 137 Deak, Ferenc 97+ Willimowski, Ernst 96+ Jones, James 91 Pele 88 Rooke, Ronald 86+ Bambrick, Joseph 86 Peyroteo, Fernando 82 Roberts, Frederick 77 Martin, David "Boy" 76+ Lawton, Thomas 76 Harder, Otto 74+ Schlosser, Imre 74 Hughes, Samuel 73 Müller, Gerhard 72 Walter, Fritz 71 Puskas, Ferenc 70 Romario 70 Binder, Franz 67 Zsengeller, Gyula 66 Ronaldo, Cristiano 66* Langara, Isidro 66 Lenstra, Abe 65 Kocsis, Sandor 63 McGrory, James 63 Messi, Lionel 63* Eusebio 61 Takacs II, Jozsef 60 Sarosi, Gyorg 60
Thanks to Valerij Rubezh (Belarus) and Dorian Leveque (England).
Author welcomes any additional data on possibly missing matches or goals
Prepared and maintained by Vladimir Kolos for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Vladimir Kolos
(vkoloss@mail.ru)
Last updated: 3 Aug 2026
(C) Copyright Vladimir Kolos and RSSSF 2006/26
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.