The Footballers Who Have Scored the Most Goals in Football History

Among the most prolific goalscorers in football history, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi rank near the top. Although figures vary between statistical sources depending on which matches are included, Ronaldo and Messi occupy leading positions when official top-level matches are considered.

According to RSSSF, Cristiano Ronaldo ranks first with 978 goals. Lionel Messi is second with 921 goals, while Pelé ranks third with 770. Romário follows with 761 goals, and Ferenc Puskás has 760.

The list continues with Josef Bican on 743 goals, Robert Lewandowski on 697, Jimmy Jones on 659, Abe Lenstra on 645, and Gerd Müller on 640. Among active players, Ronaldo, Messi, and Lewandowski are still continuing their careers, meaning their goal tallies may change.

Statistics for historical footballers can vary depending on whether different competitions and friendly matches are included. As a result, the ranking and goal totals are not identical across all sources.