Lionel Messi || 821 goals
Lionel Messi is often regarded as the best player in history, and he is equally adept at creating and taking chances. Indeed, the small Argentine has scored over 800 goals in little over 1000 professional games.
He made his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2004 and quickly established himself as one of the most exciting talents in football. Over the years, Messi has broken numerous records, including:
- Most goals for a single club: Messi scored 672 goals for Barcelona across all competitions before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
- Most Ballon d’Or awards: Messi has won the prestigious award 7 times, recognizing him as the world’s best player more times than any other player in history.
- Most goals in a calendar year: Messi set a record in 2012 by scoring 91 goals for club and country, surpassing Gerd Müller’s previous record of 85 goals in 1972.
- Most hat-tricks in La Liga: Messi has scored 36 hat-tricks in Spain’s top flight, more than any other player.
Top 10 Highest Goalscorers of All Time in Football [Updated 2024]
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is the leading goal-scorer in the world. The Portuguese forward scored 54 goals for club and country in 2023. The legends of football in our “Top 10 Highest Goal Scorers of All Time” article, showcasing players who transformed the sport with their goal-scoring prowess. From Pelé to Lionel Messi, these athletes have become icons, achieving extraordinary goal counts and setting new standards. They are celebrated for their precision, power, and consistency, making them standouts in football’s history.
Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane scored 52 goals, PSG and France forward Kylian Mbappe (52 goals), and Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaln (50 goals), came out to be the top leading scorers of 2023.