Top 10 International Football Goalscorers in History

Top 10 International Football Goalscorers in History

The 2026 World Cup has arrived, expanding to 48 teams with a record number of matches. Fans can expect plenty of goals over the next five weeks. Among the competitors, five players rank in the top 10 all-time international goalscorers and are eager to add to their tallies.

10th Place: Harry Kane, Neymar, Godfrey Chitalu – 79 Goals Each

Sharing 10th place are Harry Kane (England), Neymar (Brazil), and Godfrey Chitalu (Zambia), each with 79 goals. Kane recently reached 79 goals in 113 matches for England, averaging 0.7 goals per game. The England captain is considered among the best strikers globally and aims to become the first player to win two Golden Boots at a World Cup. He trails just five goals behind Ferenc Puskas, sitting 9th on the list.

Neymar, called up for Brazil's squad by Carlo Ancelotti, has battled injuries but remains a vital scoring threat. He surpassed Pele to become Brazil’s top scorer in 2023, a remarkable feat considering Brazil’s legendary forwards.

Godfrey Chitalu scored his 79 goals in 111 appearances for Zambia between 1968 and 1980. He holds the record as Africa’s highest-scoring male international footballer. In 1972 alone, he reportedly scored 100 goals across all competitions.

9th Place: Ferenc Puskas – 84 Goals

Ferenc Puskas, a football legend, ranks ninth with 84 goals for Hungary. He scored these goals in only 89 matches, achieving an incredible strike rate of 0.94 goals per game—the highest among the top 10 scorers. A star of Hungary’s 1950s “Golden Team,” Puskas netted four goals during the 1954 World Cup and starred in Hungary’s famous 6-3 win against England at Wembley in 1953.

Puskas also ranks fourth in all-time international assists (53), topping the European list.

8th Place: Ali Mabkhout – 85 Goals

Ali Mabkhout of the United Arab Emirates sits eighth with 85 goals from 115 matches played between 2009 and 2023. He helped UAE win the Arabian Gulf Cup in 2013 and achieve third place at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. At 35, Mabkhout continues to compete at club level for Al-Nasr, adding to his collection of domestic titles.

6th Place: Robert Lewandowski & Mokhtar Dahari – 89 Goals Each

Robert Lewandowski (Poland) and Mokhtar Dahari (Malaysia) share sixth place with 89 goals apiece. Lewandowski, known as one of the finest forwards of his generation, scored 89 goals in 167 games since his 2009 debut. Poland narrowly missed qualifying for World Cup 2026, so Lewandowski will not feature in the tournament.

Supermokh, as Dahari was nicknamed, scored 89 goals in 142 appearances for Malaysia. He was once the world’s top international goalscorer until 2004. Early in his career, Mabkhout even balanced football with jobs like being a bank clerk, often commuting by motorcycle.

5th Place: Romelu Lukaku – 90 Goals

Romelu Lukaku holds fifth place with 90 goals in 126 appearances for Belgium. He will look to add more goals at World Cup 2026, marking his seventh major international tournament and fourth straight World Cup. Lukaku was key to Belgium’s best-ever finish, fourth place in 2018, where he shared the Bronze Boot.

Belgium faces Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand in Group G, providing Lukaku several chances to approach 100 international goals.

4th Place: Sunil Chhetri – 95 Goals

Sunil Chhetri of India ranks fourth with 95 goals in 157 matches from 2005 to 2025. This is a national record for both goals and caps. His scoring helped India win many trophies, including four SAFF Championships and multiple cups. Though retired internationally since 2025, Chhetri still plays for Bengaluru FC and is the top scorer in Indian Super League history.

3rd Place: Ali Daei – 108 Goals

Ali Daei of Iran was the first player to score 100 international goals, finishing with 108. He held the top spot from 2004 until recent years when new records emerged. He remains the highest-scoring Asian male player internationally. Daei played in the 1998 and 2006 World Cups but did not score in either.

2nd Place: Lionel Messi – 116 Goals

Lionel Messi has 116 international goals, second only to one player. He won the World Cup and twice took home the Golden Ball, scoring 13 goals in five World Cups. Messi will join the record of six World Cups this summer, aiming to break Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goal record of 16. Four years ago, he scored seven goals and earned the Silver Boot while winning the trophy. Argentina’s Group J includes Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.

1st Place: Cristiano Ronaldo – 143 Goals

Cristiano Ronaldo stands clear at the top with 143 goals in 227 appearances, 27 ahead of Messi. Even in 2025, he scored eight goals for Portugal. Ronaldo will also appear in his sixth World Cup. Despite a modest World Cup goal tally by his standards (eight goals in five tournaments, none in knockouts), Portugal looks strong to challenge for the title in 2026. They face DR Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia in Group K, offering Ronaldo chances to score early.