10 Players With Most Header Goals in Football History

In football, a header is the second most useful way to score goals and many players have turned this into an art. Some of the game’s big players, including the likes of Pelé, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gerd Müller, and Robert Lewandowski, have amassed a lot of tremendous headed goals in their careers to etch their names in the history books. Many left the sport years ago, while many still carry their scoring legacy forward. All of these legends of the game, some of the best goalscorers football has ever seen, make it in out list of the 10 players with the most header goals in football history.

Scoring headers is no small task as it requires great composure, precision, and leaping ability to convert chances in mid-air into brilliant goals. Notably, there are a bunch of star forwards who not only have used their feet to bring goals but also have relied on their heading ability to find the back of the net. We bring you the top 10 football players with the most headed goals to date. With that, let’s explore our list of the top 10 players with most header goals in football history. These players have scored sone of the best header in football, and already have the most headed goals in football history.

List of footballers with the Most header Goals in Football History

10. Robert Lewandowski (Poland) – 107 Goals

Poland’s Robert Lewandowski is a modern-day phenomenon when it comes to scoring goals. Lewandowski means goals, and exactly for that reason, Barcelona signed the player after Lionel Messi left the club. Right foot, left foot, chest, head, you name it. He can score using any part of his body, arguably.

The Polishmen is tall physique that makes it difficult for the defenders to keep him under check all the time. The 34-year-old forward already has 107 header goals to his name and looks to add a lot more in the upcoming years. It is needless to say he will climb up the list of the most-header goals in football history before hanging up his boots. As a result, he deserves his place among the players with the most header goals in football history.

9. Hakan Şükür (Turkey) – 115 Headed Goals

Hakan Şükür, Turkey’s all-time top scorer, was a towering figure in the box. Known for his clinical finishing and sharp instincts, the former Galatasaray and Inter Milan striker scored an astonishing 115 headed goals throughout his career.

Şükür was a key part of Turkey’s golden generation and played a vital role in their third-place finish at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. His presence in the air was always a nightmare for defenders. Sukur also ranks in our list of the players with the most header goals in football history.

8. Luuk de Jong (Netherland) – 105 Goals

The Dutchman is probably the most underrated header of the ball in football history. He has 105 headed goals in his collection. That’s a crazy number. The 34-year-old PSV Eindhoven skipper can easily outsmart and outmanoeuvre the defenders in an aerial battle, thanks to his cunningness and jumping ability. This has helped de Jong finish 8th on our list of the most header goals in football history.

Most of his goals including the headers came in the Eredivisie where he has used his full potential to score week in and out. Luuke de jong is surely one of the most enigmatic strikers of the current generation, and deserves his place in this list of the top 10 strikers with the most headers.

7. Telmo Zarra (Spain) – 122 Headed Goals

Telmo Zarra was a true icon of Spanish football, dominating La Liga in the 1940s and ’50s. Playing almost his entire career with Athletic Bilbao, Zarra racked up 122 headed goals—an astounding feat considering the era’s heavy footballs and rugged defensive play. His positioning, anticipation, and flawless technique made him a lethal finisher from almost any angle inside the box. Zarra scored some of the best header in football, and ranks 7th on our list of the players with the most headed goals in football hsitory.

Zarra’s legacy stretches far beyond his aerial dominance. He scored 251 league goals, held the record for most goals in a La Liga season for decades, and was the heart of Bilbao’s attack for over 15 years. Even now, Zarra is fondly remembered in Spain not only for his incredible heading ability but also for the elegance and intelligence he brought to the striker role.

6. Jared Borgetti (Mexico) – 123 Headed Goals

Jared Borgetti remains one of the most recognizable forwards in Mexican football history, and his dominance in the air was nothing short of exceptional. With 123 headed goals, Borgetti consistently outjumped and outwitted defenders with his precise movement and finishing touch. His most iconic moment came at the 2002 World Cup, when he scored an unforgettable curling header against Italy—a goal still replayed in highlight reels worldwide.

Most of Borgetti’s aerial goals came during his time with Santos Laguna, but he also carried that skill throughout a lengthy international career with El Tri, scoring 46 goals for his country. Whether playing domestically or abroad, Borgetti had a sixth sense for positioning himself in the right spot and converting even the most difficult headers into goals.

5. Dixie Dean (England) – 125 Headed Goals

Dixie Dean is not just a legend of English football—he’s a symbol of an era when the game was raw, physical, and brutal. Dean scored 125 goals with his head, an incredible stat considering the conditions and heavy leather balls used during the 1920s and ’30s. His most legendary season came in 1927–28, when he scored an unmatched 60 league goals for Everton—many of them headers.

Dean’s aerial ability was ahead of its time. He could leap higher than defenders, absorb contact mid-air, and still get a clean, powerful header off. Stories from the era describe defenders dreading aerial battles with Dean, and with good reason—he made scoring from crosses look easy in an age when very little about football was. His record still inspires awe nearly a century later.

4. Carlos Alonso González “Santillana” (Spain) – 128 Headed Goals

Carlos Alonso González, widely known as Santillana, is one of Real Madrid’s greatest-ever forwards—and arguably their best aerial finisher. Despite standing just 5’9″, Santillana’s 128 headed goals tell a story of perfect timing, technique, and unrelenting determination. His vertical leap became the stuff of legend at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Santillana spent 17 years at Real Madrid, scoring over 290 goals in all competitions. He won nine La Liga titles and multiple domestic and European cups, consistently delivering when it mattered most. While others relied on height, he relied on precision and acrobatic ability, often rising above taller defenders to bury the ball in the net.

2. Gerd Muller (Germany) – 144 Goals

There was a time when German football was hyped by the presence of one the greatest centre forward ever, Gerd Müller. He has netted a stunning 144 goals through headers during his iconic career, underlining his ability to outwit opponents in the aerial battle.

The 1970 Ballon d’Or winner, Muller, was lethal in the air and knew how to deceive his markers during corners despite not being the tallest of strikers. He was almost 6 feet tall, which aided him in scoring headers. It is fair to say that the former Germany international isn’t moving from.

2. Jimmy McGrory (Scotland) – 147 Headed Goals

Jimmy McGrory is a name etched into Celtic and Scottish football folklore. Between 1921 and 1937, he scored a staggering 147 goals with his head—a number that still stands as one of the highest in the history of the game. His incredible leap and heading accuracy made him a deadly finisher, even in a time when pitches were rough and footballs were unforgiving.

Despite standing only 5’6″, McGrory was fearless in the air. He’d challenge much taller defenders and win, time after time. His total goal tally for Celtic was 522 in 501 appearances—a mind-blowing ratio—and many of those came from perfectly timed headers that left goalkeepers stranded. His aerial prowess was legendary, and to this day, he remains the benchmark for headed goals.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 152 Goals

Cristiano Ronaldo is a goal machine. The former Manchester United forward has bagged over 900 goals throughout his career. Since starting his journey back in 2004, the Portuguese international is still going strong. Over the years, Ronaldo has established himself as one of the greatest players in the world through his athleticism and physical strength.

Ronaldo becomes a nightmare to the defenders when he stays present in the 18-yard box for set-pieces. The Portuguese forward has the record for making the highest jump (1.87 meters) in professional football. With 152 headers to his name, Ronaldo is the number one player with the most headed goals in the history of football.

List of Top 10 players with most headers