Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in football history.
With 981 goals at club and international level combined, Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list for the most goals in football. The latest came for Al Nassr against Neftchi Fergana in the AFC Champions League Elite on 12 October 2026, and it leaves him 19 short of 1,000 — a mark no player has reached in official competitive matches. At 41 he is still playing, so the number is a floor rather than a final total.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-time rival, Lionel Messi, is second on the list for the most goals in football history. The 2022 World Cup winner is on 934 goals after two against D.C. United on 10 October 2026. He played his last game for Argentina on 6 October but is still adding to the total at Inter Miami.
The likes of Pele, Romário and Ferenc Puskas complete the top five list for the most goals in football history.
Apart from Ronaldo and Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Luis Suarez are the other active footballers well past 500 goals for club and country. Lewandowski went furthest: Chicago Fire announced him in June 2026 as a player with more than 700 career goals, which is enough to put him inside this top 10.
The full top 10 is below. All figures are current to 12 October 2026; the three active players on this list are all still scoring. For the international game alone, see our most goals in international football list.
Most goals in football: Know top 10 highest goal-scorers of all-time
|
Rank |
Player |
Nationality |
Span |
Goals |
|
1 |
Cristiano Ronaldo |
Portugal |
2002-present |
981 |
|
2 |
Lionel Messi |
Argentina |
2004-present |
934 |
|
3 |
Pele |
Brazil |
1957-1977 |
762 |
|
4 |
Romário |
Brazil |
1985-2007 |
755 |
|
5 |
Ferenc Puskás |
Hungary |
1943-1966 |
724 |
|
6 |
Josef Bican |
Austria |
1931-1955 |
722 |
|
7 |
Robert Lewandowski |
Poland |
2008-present |
700+ |
|
8 |
Jimmy Jones |
Northern Ireland |
1947-1964 |
648 |
|
9 |
Gerd Muller |
Germany |
1964-1981 |
634 |
|
10 |
Joe Bambrick |
Northern Ireland |
1926-1943 |
629 |
Two notes on the table. Lewandowski is shown as 700+ because he is still playing and compilers differ by a handful either way; the 700 figure is his club’s own. And the totals below the top two come from historical compilations rather than a single modern database, which is why lists of this record published elsewhere do not always agree past third place.
Cristiano Ronaldo | 981 goals
Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history, Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the top goalscorer of all time. The star forward has netted an astonishing 981 senior career goals for club and country. At the club level, Ronaldo has been a prolific goalscorer for the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, Al-Nassr and Sporting CP. Furthermore, Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in international football. Since his senior national debut for Portugal in 2003, Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 234 appearances. He is also the first player to score at six different World Cups, having added three goals in 2026 — a tournament he confirmed would be his last. For his extraordinary goal-scoring record, Ronaldo bagged several individual awards including five Ballon d’Or awards, a record three UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Awards, and four European Golden Shoes, the most by a European player. His career trophy count is published at anywhere between 33 and 37, depending on which competitions a compilation counts, and it includes eight league titles in four countries, five UEFA Champions Leagues, the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League.
Lionel Messi | 934 goals
Argentine footballer Lionel Messi is second on the list for the most goals in football history. Arguably the greatest player in football history, Lionel Messi has mesmerised the fans with both his playmaking as well as goalscoring. The left-footed football magician has scored 934 goals in his illustrious career so far. Having spent his majority of his professional football career at FC Barcelona, Messi is the club’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals in all competitions. He has also scored 32 goals for Paris Saint-Germain and 104 for Inter Miami. The Rosario-born footballer is also second on the list for the most goals in international football, behind rival Cristiano Ronaldo. He finished on 126 in 208 caps, both Argentina records, when he retired from international football after a farewell against Benin on 6 October 2026. He scored eight at the 2026 World Cup and carried Argentina to the final, where Spain beat them 1-0 after extra time. Messi is the most decorated player in football history with 48 team trophies to his name, the latest the 2026 Campeones Cup with Inter Miami, including the FIFA World Cup, two Copa America titles, 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four UEFA Champions League titles. On the personal front, Messi has bagged a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, a record six European Golden Shoes, and was named the world’s best player for a record eight times by FIFA.
Pele | 762 goals
Pele features third on the list for the most goals in football history. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, nicknamed Pele, is often considered to be the greatest football player of all time. Among the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th century, Pele scored 762 goals in his legendary career at the club and international level combined. Pele’s record of 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches, including friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record. Having played as a forward and attacking midfielder, Pele won three FIFA World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970. With 77 goals in 92 games, Pele was the national team’s top scorer for over 50 years before Neymar broke the record. At the club level, Pele is the all-time top scorer for Santos with 643 goals in 659 matches. During his time, Pele helped Santos clinch the 1962 and 1963 Copa Libertadores and the 1962 and 1963 Intercontinental Cup. He also scored 37 goals for the New York Cosmos between 1975 and 1977.
Photo credit: Imago