Ranking the Top 7 Goalscorers in the History of Football

• Players who captivate the public most are those who consistently score on the biggest stage
• Cristiano Ronaldo reached a new career milestone following his goal in the UEFA Nations League for Portugal
• YEN.com.gh has ranked the greatest goal-scorers by their total career goals for both club and country

Over the years, football has produced some of the finest athletes in the world, yet those who captivate fans the most are often the prolific goal-scorers.

Whether in the World Cup, Champions League, Premier League, or any major competition, the spotlight is usually reserved for players who find the back of the net in crucial moments.

The sport’s greatest goal-scorers have come in many forms—poachers, aerial specialists, and technical maestros—spanning across decades, united only by their ability to put the ball in the net.

Football has showcased a wealth of world-class finishers, and Legit.ng has ranked the top scorers based on their total career goals for club and country.

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Jimmy Jones (647 goals, 1947-1964)

Jones, with 647 career goals, is the second Northern Irishman on this list. His dominant years were spent with Glenavon, where he led the Irish League in scoring for six seasons in an 11-year span.

With 17 trophies to his name from his time at Belfast Celtic and Glenavon, he remains the all-time top scorer in Irish League history.

A horrific leg injury sidelined him for 15 months, but his legacy endured, making his accomplishments all the more impressive.

Josef Bican (720 goals, 1931-1955)

Born in Austria and later representing Czechoslovakia, Josef Bican was a relentless goal machine.

Even during the turmoil of World War II, Bican continued to rack up goals, with legendary feats like scoring in 19 consecutive top-tier matches.

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Cristiano Ronaldo: Portugal captain makes history, reaches 900 career goals

His claim of over 5,000 goals may be exaggerated, but his back-to-back reign as the world’s top scorer for five years is unmatched. To this day, he holds the record as Slavia Prague’s leading scorer.

Ferenc Puskas (729 goals, 1943-1966)

Ferenc Puskás, famed for leading Hungary to a 7-1 demolition of England in 1954, scored 729 career goals.

Known as "The Galloping Major," Puskás shone at Budapest Honved before joining Real Madrid, where he won five La Liga titles and three European Cups.

He remains Hungary’s top scorer, and the FIFA Puskás Award, created in 2009, honours the best goal of the year in his name.

Romario (755 goals, 1985-2007)

Romario paved the way for Brazil’s footballing dominance before the rise of Ronaldo.

He scored 755 goals over his career, playing for 10 clubs including PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, and Valencia.

Romario's time at PSV and Barcelona cemented his legacy, helping the clubs win multiple league titles. With Brazil, only Neymar, Pele, and Ronaldo have outscored 'Baixinho' (The Little One).

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Pele (762 goals, 1957-1977)

Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Pele scored 762 official goals.

Though his total tally remains debated due to unrecorded matches, he is the top scorer for Santos and remains Brazil’s all-time leading goal scorer at the World Cup with 12 goals.

A three-time World Cup champion, Pele's impact on football is immortalized, and he held the record for the most goals scored until recent times.

Lionel Messi (838 goals, 2004-present)

Lionel Messi has reigned as one of the top scorers in the 21st century, with 838 goals and counting.

He holds the record for most goals in a calendar year (91 in 2012) and is both Barcelona’s and La Liga’s all-time leading scorer.

Messi's career highlights include eight Ballon d'Or awards and, in 2022, his long-awaited World Cup triumph with Argentina, where he netted seven goals.

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Cristiano Ronaldo (900 goals, 2002-present)

Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record as the top goal-scorer in football history with 900 goals. No one has scored more for Real Madrid or Portugal, where he also tops the international goal charts.

Ronaldo's illustrious career includes five Champions League titles, three Premier League trophies, and a European Championship.

Even at the age of 39, he continues to shine, with 52 goals for Portugal and Al-Nassr in 2023 alone.

Ronaldo in tears after reaching 900-goal mark

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ronaldo was visibly overcome with emotion as he scored his 900th career goal during Portugal's clash with Croatia on Thursday.

The goal was a redeeming moment following a vexing Euro 2024 campaign wherein he witnessed a penalty saved against Slovenia.

Source: YEN.com.gh