All-Time Top Goalscorers in International Football
Football is not only a team game, but also an arena for individual records. Among the many achievements, one statistic stands out in particular and fascinates fans around the world: the number of goals scored for the national team. In this article, we have collected a list of the top scorers in international football history. Let's take a closer look!
The information about the top scorers in national team history in this article is updated monthly*.
Top 10 All-Time National Team Goalscorers
Rank | Player | National Team | Goals |
1st | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 146 |
2nd | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 125 |
3rd | Ali Daei | Iran | 108 |
4th | Romelu Lukaku | Belgium | 94 |
5th | Robert Lewandowski | Poland | 92 |
6th | Harry Kane | England | 89 |
7th | Mokhtar Dahari | Malaysia | 89 |
8th | Sunil Chhetri | India | 89 |
9th | Ali Mabkhout | United Arab Emirates | 85 |
10th | Ferenc Puskas | Hungary | 80 |
Leaders by Continent
Europe
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- goals: 146
- matches: 234
- playing period: 2003–present (as of October 2026)
South America
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- goals: 125
- matches: 207
- playing period: 2005–present (as of October 2026)
Asia
Ali Daei (Iran)
- goals: 108
- matches: 148
- playing period: 1993-2006
Africa
Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon)
- goals: 56
- matches: 118
- playing period: 1997-2014
North and Central America
Landon Donovan (USA)
- goals: 57
- matches: 157
- playing period: 2000-2014
Oceania
Chris Wood (New Zealand)
- goals: 45
- matches: 94
- playing period: 2005-present (as of October 2026)
Methodology and Data Sources
The ranking includes goals scored in official matches for senior national teams. These include:
- World Cup matches (final tournament and qualifying competitions);
- continental tournament matches (UEFA European Championship, Copa America, AFC Asian Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, CONCACAF Gold Cup, etc.) and their qualifying campaigns;
- UEFA Nations League matches and similar regional leagues;
- official friendly matches recognized by FIFA (with the required regulations observed, including FIFA notification, compliance with the rules and the presence of match officials).
The following are not included:
- unofficial friendly matches;
- youth and junior national team matches;
- Olympic team matches (unless the team is the senior national side);
- matches in regional or charity tournaments without FIFA status.
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