Cristiano Ronaldo leads football's all-time scoring list with over 900 documented goals, followed by Messi. The full list, plus Pelé, Romário and the international records.
Football's all-time top scorer by documented official goals is Cristiano Ronaldo, who has passed the 900-goal mark for his clubs and Portugal — the first player in history to reach that figure in official matches, now chasing the dream of goal number 1,000.
The all-time top scorers list (official goals)
Sources differ on exact counts (depending on how friendlies are treated), but the accepted ranking by documented official goals is:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 900+ goals — first in history, scored for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr and Portugal.
- Lionel Messi (Argentina): 850+ goals for Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami and Argentina.
- Pelé (Brazil): around 760 official goals (his famous 1,000+ figure includes unofficial friendlies).
- Romário (Brazil): around 750 goals per official sources.
- Ferenc Puskás (Hungary): the 1950s legend with 700+ goals, after whom the best-goal award is named.
Who is the top international scorer?
Cristiano Ronaldo holds the men's international scoring record with 130+ goals for Portugal, overtaking Iran's Ali Daei, whose 109 stood for years. In the women's game, Canada's Christine Sinclair leads everyone in history with 190 international goals.
Why are the old numbers hard to settle?
Because record-keeping before the 1970s was imprecise: many of Pelé's and Puskás's goals came in friendlies or exhibition matches that official statistics don't count. That's why statisticians compare official-match goals only (league, cups, continental and international competition).
Other scoring records
- Most goals in a calendar year: Lionel Messi — 91 in 2012 (a Guinness record).
- Champions League all-time top scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo, comfortably ahead of Messi.
- World Cup finals all-time scorer: Germany's Miroslav Klose with 16.
- Fastest Premier League hat-trick: Sadio Mané in 2 minutes 56 seconds for Southampton.
Can anyone break Ronaldo's record?
Reaching 900 goals demands 40+ goals a year for over two decades — a rare blend of talent, discipline and durability. The closest young chasers, such as Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, would need to sustain their current rates into their mid-thirties just to get close. Follow the scoring races live on Shahid Live, and read our Messi vs Ronaldo comparison and what is a hat-trick.
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