Highest Goal Scorers in Football History
Many lethal goal scorers have embraced the football grounds throughout history. They have netted loads of goals, helped their team win, and also entertained the fans. Who has the Highest Goals in Football History? Or Who is the highest goal scorer in football history? GoalTheBall lists out the Top 20+ Highest Goal Scorers in Football History for All Time.
Highest Goal Scorers in Football History All Time
Cristiano Ronaldo is history’s all-time leading goal scorer officially. He has a few less than 900 goals in his huge career. The Portuguese is also the all-time top-scorer in international football. He is closely followed by his lifetime rival Leo Messi. The Argentine also has over 800 career goals. But his goal-per-game ratio is even better than CR7. According to the IFFHS, Pele, Romario, Puskas, as well as Bican hold the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th place respectively. On the other hand, Goal.com places Bican at 3rd, Romario at 4th, Pele at 5th, and Puskas in number 6 position.
Top 20 Highest Goal Scorers All Time
| Player & Rank | No Of Goals | Country & Major Clubs | Career Period |
| Cristiano Ronaldo (1st) | 895 Goals | Portugal (Man Utd, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al Nassr) | 2002–Present (Active) |
| Lionel Messi (2nd) | 838 Goals | Argentina (Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami) | 2004–Present (Active) |
| Pele (3rd) | 762 Goals | Brazil (Santos, New York Cosmos) | 1957–1977 (Retired) |
| Romario (4th) | 755 Goals | Brazil (Vasco da Gama, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Flamengo) | 1985–2007 (Retired) |
| Ferenc Puskás (5th) | 724 Goals | Hungary (Budapest Honvéd, Real Madrid) | 1943–1966 (Retired) |
| Josef Bican (6th) | 722 Goals | Austria / Czechoslovakia (Slavia Prague, Rapid Vienna, FC Vitkovice, FC Hradec Králové) | 1931-1955 (Retired) |
| Jimmy Jones (7th) | 648 Goals | Northern Ireland (Glenavon, Belfast Celtic, Shankill Young Men) | 1947–1964 (Retired) |
| Gerd Muller (8th) | 634 Goals | Germany (Bayern Munich, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, 1861 Nördlingen) | 1964–1981 (Retired) |
| Robert Lewandowski (9th) | 630 Goals | Poland (Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Lech Poznań) | 2008–Present (Active) |
| Joe Bambrick (10th) | 629 Goals | Northern Ireland (Linfield, Chelsea, Walsall, Glentoran) | 1926–1943 (Retired) |
| Abe Lenstra (11th) | 624 Goals | Netherlands (Heerneveen, SC Enschede, Enschedese Boys) | 1937–1960 (Retired) |
| Eusebio (12th) | 619 Goals | Portugal (Benfica, Sporting Lourenço Marques) | 1957–1978 (Retired) |
| Luis Suarez (13th) | 573 Goals | Uruguay (Ajax, Liverpool, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid) | 2005–Present (Active) |
| Glenn Ferguson (14th) | 563 Goals | Northern Ireland (Glenavon, Linfield) | 1987–2011 (Retired) |
| Zlatan Ibrahimovic (15th) | 561 Goals | Sweden (Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan, PSG, Man Utd, Galaxy) | 1999–2023 (Retired) |
| Fernando Peyroteo (16th) | 553 Goals | Portugal (Sporting CP) | 1937–1949 (Retired) |
| Uwe Seeler (17th) | 552 Goals | Germany (Hamburger SV) | 1954–1972 (Retired) |
| Jimmy McGrory (18th) | 552 Goals | Scotland (Celtic) | 1922–1937 (Retired) |
| Alfredo Di Stéfano (19th) | 530 Goals | Argentina / Spain (Real Madrid, River Plate, Millonarios) | 1945–1966 (Retired) |
| György Sárosi (20th) | 517 Goals | Hungary (Ferencváros) | 1930–1948 (Retired) |
| Roberto Dinamite (21st) | 511 Goals | Brazil (Vasco da Gama) | 1971–1992 (Retired) |
| Hugo Sánchez 22nd) | 507 Goals | Mexico (Real Madrid, UNAM, Atlético Madrid) | 1976–1997 (Retired) |
| Imre Schlosser (23rd) | 504 Goals | Hungary (Ferencvárosi TC, MTK Hungária FC) | 1905–1928 (Retired) |
| Franz Binder (24th) | 503 Goals | Austria (Rapid Wien) | 1930-49 (Retired) |
Among the current generation players, apart from Messi & Ronaldo, Luis Suarez, Robert Lewandowski, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are also in this list of history’s top 20 best-ever scorers. There is no African or Asian footballer within the top 20 list though. Nevertheless, there are multiple representatives on this chart from the countries like Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Germany, Austria, etc.
