Who are the top goal scorers in history and how many goals did they score?
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The numbers here follow the RSSSF ranking for official top level matches, updated in August 2026.
Cristiano Ronaldo: The Leader among the Great Goal Scorers
Portugal | ⚽ 978 goals | February 5, 1985
Cristiano Ronaldo appears at the top of this selection with an impressive 978 goals in official top level matches.
His career included Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr, and Portugal.
The Portuguese stands out for his longevity, consistency, and ability to score in different competitions.
Even at 41, Ronaldo continues to be active, which means this number can still increase.
Among the top goal scorers, he stands out for his goals in European competitions and for Portugal.
Lionel Messi: A Left Footer among the Greats
Argentina | ⚽ 921 goals | June 24, 1987
Lionel Messi appears right behind Ronaldo, with 921 goals under the same criteria used by the ranking.
The Argentine made history at Barcelona, where he became one of the club’s greatest goal scorers.
Afterward, he played for PSG and Inter Miami, maintaining his ability to make a difference.
His advantage is not only in finishing. Messi is also known for his playmaking, dribbling, and assists.
He is that player who may look like he is searching for a pass and, suddenly, decide to take care of everything himself.
Pelé: The King of Football
Brazil | ⚽ 770 goals | October 23, 1940
Pelé occupies third place among the names on this list, with 770 official top level goals according to RSSSF.
The King spent practically his entire Brazilian career at Santos, where he scored many goals and won historic titles.
Santos itself records 1,091 goals by Pelé for the club, considering its broader criteria for matches.
This shows why goal scorer lists can vary by the matches included.
Regardless of the criteria, Pelé became synonymous with goals and Brazilian football.
Romário: The Short Striker who Knew How to Finish
Brazil | ⚽ 761 goals | January 29, 1966
Romário appears with 761 goals under the RSSSF criteria and is another Brazilian among the top goal scorers in history.
The striker became known mainly for his finishing ability inside the box.
Even in tight spaces, he could find a way to put the ball in the net. His career included Vasco, PSV, Barcelona, Fluminense, and Brazil.
The COB highlights his time at Vasco and his seven goals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, when he was the top scorer.
Ferenc Puskás: The Left Foot that Became a Legend
Hungary | ⚽ 760 goals | April 1, 1927
Ferenc Puskás appears practically tied with Romário, with 760 goals.
The Hungarian star made history with Honvéd and Real Madrid.
At the Spanish club, he played 262 official matches and scored 242 goals, according to Real Madrid itself.
Among the top goal scorers, his finishing with his left foot was one of his great strengths.
Puskás became known as a striker with technique, precision, and great finishing ability.
Josef Bican: The Goal Scorer from Another Era
Austria/Czechoslovakia | ⚽ 743 goals | September 25, 1913
Josef Bican is one of the most curious names on this list. He scored 743 goals under the criteria of official top level matches used here.
The reason lies precisely in the different criteria used to count official matches, friendlies, and other games.
Bican spent much of his career at Slavia Prague and stood out for his speed, precision, and many goals.
His name may not be as well known to newer generations, but his numbers remain impressive.
Robert Lewandowski: The Goal Scorer of the Modern Era
Poland | ⚽ 697 goals | August 21, 1988
Robert Lewandowski is another player who remains active and appears with 697 goals in the ranking used.
The Polish striker stood out at Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona.
His specialty is clear: positioning, strength, and finishing inside the box.
Lewandowski also has a long history with the Polish national team and continues to increase his numbers.
Therefore, his position among the top goal scorers can still change in the coming years.
Jimmy Jones: A Name Worth Remembering
Northern Ireland | ⚽ 659 goals | July 25, 1928
Now we come to a name that may surprise many people.
Jimmy Jones scored 659 goals under the RSSSF criteria and built his career mainly in Northern Irish football.
The striker played for clubs such as Belfast Celtic, Glenavon, Portadown, and Newry Town.
In his era, he became known for his frequency of goals and finished his career with impressive numbers.
It is precisely because of names like Jones that a list of the top goal scorers becomes even more interesting.
Abe Lenstra: A Dutch Football Legend
Netherlands | ⚽ 645 goals | November 27, 1920
Abe Lenstra scored 645 goals in official top level matches and was one of the great names in Dutch football.
He became especially associated with Heerenveen, the club for which he scored hundreds of goals.
The detailed RSSSF record lists 790 goals in 850 official matches, using a broader criterion.
This difference once again reinforces how the chosen criteria change the numbers.
Still, his presence among the top goal scorers shows the scale of his attacking production.
Gerd Müller: Germany’s Bomber
Germany | ⚽ 640 goals | November 3, 1945
Closing our list, we have Gerd Müller, one of the greatest finishers European football has ever known.
The German appears with 640 goals in the ranking of official top level matches.
At Bayern Munich, he became an attacking reference and is the all time leading scorer in the Bundesliga, with 365 goals.
Müller also scored 68 goals in 62 appearances for West Germany.
His style was direct and extremely efficient: quick movement, precise positioning, and accurate finishing.
After all, Who are the Top Goal Scorers?
After getting to know the top goal scorers, it becomes clear that the numbers change according to the criteria used.
This list considers official top level matches, but other sources may present different results.
To learn more about the players, FotMob offers stats, news, and results from hundreds of leagues.
In the end, the goal remains one of the greatest emotions in football.
And these players certainly knew how to make fans feel that many, many times.
