Top 10 Goalscorers of all Time: Greatest Goalscorers in Football History (Ranked)

While goals determine the results, some footballers have thrived in the art of scoring record-breaking goals. Football has always produced some of the greatest footballers of all time, but there are only a few who have risen to the level that could be considered unbelievable. These top 10 goalscorers of all time have left defenders helpless, and fans spellbound.

Whether it was the Brazilian maestro, Pele, the ‘Babylonian striker’ Romario, or the contemporary rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. What makes the best strikers of all time among the top goal scorers is the total number of goals they scored throughout the course of their careers. In this article, we are going to list down the highest goalscorers in football history.

Highest Goalscorers in Football History: Top 10 List

Check out the table below featuring the top 10 goalscorers in football history who have shattered records with their goal-scoring prowess.

Who are the Top 10 Goalscorers in Football History?

Football has witnessed some of the most clinical goal getters over the course of history. These players have shaped the role of strikers with their excellence in front of goals. Let's see take a brief glance at the highest goalscorer in football history.

10) Ferenc Deak (Hungary)

The football world knows Ferenc Deak as one of its most legendary figures, although his name remains relatively unknown. His documented matches exceeded 500 appearances while scoring 576 goals, making him a top goal-scorer throughout history. While playing for Hungarian club Ferencvaros and Ujpest in Hungary

The Hungarian legend had scored more than 60 goals per season, which remains a record in present times. If modern football maintained detailed records of his matches, then his scoring total could have increased even further. His achievements stand out despite his lesser popularity among the other individuals listed here.

9) Tulio Maravilha (Brazil)

The Brazilian football legend Tulio Maravilha spent his career travelling through more than 30 teams in Brazil, where he played more than 1000 matches and scored 588 goals. The European top leagues never welcomed him, but his ability to score goals was among the best in his playing career.

At Botafogo, Tulio achieved his greatest achievements by earning the Brazilian Championship top scorer position and winning the league title in 1995. Fans loved him greatly, and he returned to professional football at forty-seven years old to reach 1000 total goals from both official and unofficial matches.

8) Eusebio (Portugal)

Eusebio earned his nickname of ‘Black Panther’ as he became recognised as one of the greatest Portuguese players of all time. The defenders faced a terrifying challenge when they had to face his combination of fast movement and strong strikes, along with complex foot movements. During the 1966 FIFA World Cup, he proved impossible to stop and secured the top scorer title with nine goals, which led Portugal to finish in third position.

He achieved 623 goals while playing 639 games to secure 11 Portuguese championships for SL Benfica and the 1962 European Cup victory, where he scored twice during the final match against Real Madrid. Eusebio represented a symbol of excellence, as well as proving the black man’s ability to succeed in any competitive field. Football fans worldwide continue to remember his name among the greatest players in history.

7) Gerd Müller (Germany)Müller

The German icon Gerd Müller perfectly embodied the definition of ‘fox in the box’ among all strikers who have ever existed. The opponents faced a real challenge due to his scoring 735 goals in 793 matches. The combination of his low body position and finishing abilities established him as one of the best German footballers of all time. He achieved three successive European Cups with Bayern Munich and finished as the Bundesliga’s top goal scorer seven times.

Muller achieved international success by scoring 68 goals in 62 matches for West Germany, and he became famous for scoring the winning goal in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. The front position he occupied in front of the goal made scoring easy for him because he needed only a single touch to finish. Injuries cut short his professional career, yet people still consider him among the greatest players in history.

6) Ferenc Puskas (Hungary)

The Real Madrid legend Ferenc Puskás has scored 746 times in 754 games with a deadly accuracy on his left foot throughout his career, making him one of the highest goalscorers in football history. The Hungarian virtuoso led European football with Budapest Honved before joining Spanish side Real Madrid for an exceptional partnership with Alfredo Di Stefano.

He scored four goals during the 1960 European Cup final while playing for Real Madrid, and this performance remains among the best Real Madrid players of all time. During his leadership of the Hungarian ‘Mighty Magyars’, Puskas oversaw one of the most devastating English team losses at Wembley Stadium with a 6-3 defeat in 1953. The Puskas Award for best goal of the year exists today as a tribute to the legendary player whose goal-scoring abilities were works of art.

5) Pelé (Brazil)

Pele stands as the greatest FIFA World Cup player of all time, scoring 757 official goals and more than 1000 goals throughout his entire career, including friendly matches and other competitions. When Pelé reached 17 years old, he scored two goals in the 1958 World Cup final, which led Brazil national football team to victory.

His powerful dribbling combined with strong shooting abilities turned him into a nearly unstoppable force while playing on the field. During his career, Pelé spent most of his professional time at Santos before joining the New York Cosmos to bring football popularity to that region. The way Pelé handled the ball transformed him into an iconic figure who exceeded statistical boundaries. He ranks among the top 10 goalscorers in football history.

4) Romario (Brazil)

His goal-scoring abilities made him a genuine poacher who stands among the most famous Brazilian players. His outstanding skill set included rapid turning ability, precise finishing technique and expert penalty area touch, which enabled him to score 780 times in 994 matches. During the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Romario achieved two accomplishments by winning the competition for Brazil and earning the title of best player of the tournament while scoring five goals.

Romario's striking ability required only minimal chances to score because the fans cheered every time he touched the ball. He brought significant value to PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Flamengo, and Vasco da Gama through his performances as a club footballer. When Romario joined Barcelona under Johan Cruyff’s leadership, he formed a lethal attacking trio that controlled La Liga.

3) Josef Bican (Czech Republic)

Although modern football fans may not recognise his name, Josef Bican achieved remarkable goal-scoring numbers in his career. During the 1930s to 1940s, Bican represented the Czech Republic national football team and achieved 759 goals across 530 matches. The public saw him score five or six goals during matches so frequently that it turned into an anticipated outcome.

The record-breaking goal tally from Bican’s career led FIFA to include him in their list of all-time top scorers. Bican scored more than one goal in each game while playing for Slavia Prague and Rapid Vienna. World War II disrupted his professional career, but his achievement in scoring goals remains his enduring legacy. The modern statistical system would show a goal total exceeding 800 if all his non-official matches received official recording.

2) Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Throughout its history, football has received its most talented player ever Lionel Messi. Fans have watched him perform his exceptional dribbling skills and goal-scoring abilities during his nearly twenty-year career. Messi has participated in more than 1080 matches for Catalan giants Barcelona where he scored 850 times, surpassing all possible records. The 2012 season remains unmatched for its 91-goal record while Messi has collected eight Ballon d’Or awards.

His scoring power, together with his ability to create opportunities, distinguishes one of the best Barcelona players of all time. The 2022 FIFA World Cup delivered Messi his most significant achievement by winning his last missing trophy while collecting the Golden Ball award and scoring seven goals. The evidence indicates he possesses skills beyond European genius. Messi has solidified his place in top 10 goalscorers of all time with over 900 goals.

1) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

The football world recognises Cristiano Ronaldo as a hard-working goal machine who delivers consistent performances. During his time at Sporting CP and his leadership of Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, he established unprecedented standards for goal scoring. The official match record for the most goals in football belongs to Ronaldo after scoring 968 goals throughout 1250-plus games.

The five Ballon d’Or awards, numerous records, and his success in crucial clutch games make the Portuguese one of the best Man United players of all time. He demonstrates his scoring capabilities through headers, weak (not so) foot shots, and powerful long-distance shots, as well as his clutch penalty goals. The UEFA Champions League record for most goals belongs to him, with more than 140 goals scored by Ronaldo, which tops the list of top 10 goalscorers of all time.