Legends of the Net: 14 Greatest International Goalscorers in Football History

For any football player, having the most international goals for their country is something they always look for as representing their nation, and winning on the international stage is the ultimate dream. With that being said, there have been several renowned names in the football fraternity who have contributed to their country’s win in different events.

Among the players with the highest international goals in history, Cristiano Ronaldo stands at the top with 143 goals, followed by the Argentinian Lionel Messi, who has 115 goals. 

On this interesting note, let’s explore 14 football players with the most international goals in history.

Top 14 Players With the Most International Goals in History 

When the topic is about having the most international goals in football history, several names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Sunil Chhetri, and Pelé come under the list with the number of goals scored against different countries.  

Now, let’s find out who tops the charts of the most goals in international football.

Cristiano Ronaldo – 143 goals (Portugal)

Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record of the highest goals in international football in the men’s category, with his 143 goals for Portugal. He made this record of the most international goals of 143, overtaking Ali Daei’s record of 109 goals in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier match. Ronaldo has been making milestones throughout his career, and he has had significant records in World Cup qualifiers and the European championships. 

Apart from being the highest goal scorer in international football history, he is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and has 900 plus goals during his entire career.(1)

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Lionel Messi – 115 goals (Argentina)

Lionel Messi is one of the greatest footballers of all time with 115 goals for the Argentina team, and is on the list of the most international goals of his generation. 

He has scored important goals in tournaments like the Copa America and FIFA World Cup, including the 2022 World Cup victory of Argentina, where he reached the pinnacle of his career. Being named among the top international goal scorers in history, the name Messi has, over the years, become synonymous with brilliance on the international scene.

Ali Daei – 108 goals (Iran)

Ali Daei, the great Iranian striker, was the first to score 100 goals for his national team, and this record was once unreachable for any player. He is the Asian player to score the most international goals, with over 108 goals against different teams. 

Daei was renowned for his positioning, ability to head, and strong hits, which brought Iran to the success of the Asian Games and other victories in the region. Within just 149 matches, the former Bayern Munich striker achieved the feat of the international top goal scorer during his 13-year career. 

Sunil Chhetri – 95 goals (India)

Sunil Chhetri is one of India’s prolific goal scorers, who has been leading the ranking among Indians as the highest scorer in internationals. (2) The record of him scoring one of the most international goals of 95 was achieved in the span of his 20 years of career. 

With this, Sunil Chhetri goals ranking in the World is number four. An intelligent player on the pitch, a calm finisher, and a leader, he has led India to numerous tournaments, such as the SAFF Championship and AFC qualifiers, as well.

Mokhtar Dahari – 89 goals (Malaysia)

Mokhtar Dahari is the football legend of Malaysia, who has 89 goals in his 142 career matches for his country, cementing his name among the all-time highest goal scorers in the world. 

Debuting as a teenager at just 19 years of age,  Dahari soon gained popularity among the fans with his scoring talent, scoring the most international goals for Malaysia. His contributions saw Malaysia achieve its highest position in FIFA rankings and brought fame to him in the Asian football community. A strong, quick, and accurate finisher, Dahari motivated a number of youngsters to play football as their career.

Romelu Lukaku – 89 goals (Belgium)

With 89 goals, Romelu Lukaku is one of the top 10 international goal scorers in men’s football in Belgium. He made his debut in 2010 and soon emerged as an important striker in the field due to his strength, aerial skills, and clinical finishing. 

Starting off with two goals in a friendly against Russia in 2010, Lukaku has been a key figure in both World Cups and European Championships, and he has always delivered in a critical situation, as he looks more motivated to have the most international goals for the country. 

Robert Lewandowski – 87 goals (Poland)

Robert Lewandowski is a Polish player who has scored 87 goals, registering his name in the top 10 most international goals in football. Lewandowski has been a threat to different teams since his debut in 2008 due to his accuracy and tactical intelligence, as well as physical prowess. 

Similarly, on October 5, 2017, he surpassed Lubanski’s record (48 goals) with a hat-trick against Armenia to have the most international goals for Poland. In addition to this, his maiden FIFA World Cup goal was in the 2022 edition in Qatar in a 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia.

Ali Mabkhout – 85 goals (United Arab Emirates)

Ali Mabkhout, the exceptionally talented striker of the UAE, has scored 85 goals for his country, which is the most international goals in the history of UAE. He has been able to score in the AFC competitions and World Cup qualifiers since his first appearance in 2009. 

Mabkhout is known for his positioning, finishing, and intelligent movement, and has become the key attack of the UAE. He is a key player on the team, as in 2019 alone, he scored 19 goals, further marching ahead in the record books for the most in international goals.

Ferenc Puskás – 84 goals (Hungary)

Hungary’s legendary forward Ferenc Puskás had 84 goals in 85 matches, making him one of the best players in the world with the most international goals. Along with his association with the national side, Puskas was the key player for Real Madrid. (3) 

However, leading Hungary to a Summer Olympics Gold as well as Silver medal in the 1954 World Cup remains at the top among his several contributions. With one of the most goals in international football, Pukas was awarded with the Golden Ball in 1954.

Godfrey Chitalu – 79 goals (Zambia)

In the top 10 international goal scorers in men’s football, Godfrey Chitalu is at number 10, who plays football for Zambia. Having scored 79 goals in 111 matches for his country, the talented forward is a key asset on the African scene who is agile, sharp in finishing, and with intelligent movement. 

Having one of the most international goals is one thing, but Chitalu has been named as the Zambian footballer of the year five times in his career, which is a magnificent record for any footballer. He has a record of scoring in more than ten years.

Neymar – 79 goals (Brazil)

Neymar was the joint-highest scorer with Pelé in Brazilian history with 77 goals following his match with Croatia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Today, the record of international top goal scorer in the Brazilian team is claimed solely by Neymar, with 79 goals in his entire career. 

Neymar is known for his dribbling, pace and creativity, and has scored in such major tournaments as the FIFA World Cup and the Copa America. This feat of one of the most international goals for the country is inspirational to millions of the young generation, as he is still looking to contribute to his country often.

Hussein Saeed – 78 goals (Iraq)

Hussein Saeed had 78 goals in total for Iraq, most international goals. During his debut match, he did not waste any time and made his mark in his first match at the 1977 Merdeka Cup, scoring within eight minutes. 

Saeed was a national hero as he won the Arabian Gulf Cups and Asian Games under his leadership. He was a consistent player who scored, positioned, and composed himself in an incredible manner over a period of over 10 years. Even today, his contribution to Iraqi football as the highest goal scorer is celebrated. 

Harry Kane – 78 goals (England)

The England legend, Harry Kane, has the FIFA highest goal scorer for his country with 78 goals. Playing as a striker for the national side and Bundesliga club Bayern Munich, he has been a key asset for the team with his prolific finish and positional gameplay. 

Along with the record of the most international goals for England, he is the highest-scoring English player in the UEFA Champions League with 44 goals, and the Premier League’s second-highest all-time goalscorer with 213 goals.

Kane has led the national team both on and off the field, which has been significant in the success of the national team. 

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Pele – 77 goals (Brazil)

Pele, the legendary Brazilian footballer, has 77 goals in 92 games, which puts him in the list of the most international goals. Pele started at a tender age of 16 and soon rose to become a world sensation. He won the World Cup in 1958, 1962, and 1970 and won each match with his vital goals. (4) He is a role model to the new generations due to his style and ability to finish the game. 

Amit Mishra’s Take

It is the dream of footballers to score goals for their country, and the most international goals are among the greatest accomplishments in the game. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Sunil Chhetri, and Ali Daei are some of the players who have demonstrated unbelievable consistency and commitment in the global arena. 

Their history has testified to the difficulty of being a shining star in the global football game. Whether it is Ronaldo’s 143 goals, or Messi and his magic with Argentina, these two players are always included in the list of the all time highest goal scorer in the world.

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