Football’s Greatest Goalscorers – Ronaldo, Messi, and the All-Time List

Football’s greatest goalscorers have been breaking the limits of imagination for decades. However, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been breaking the limits of the footballing universe which define what a prolific goalscorer is during the last two decades. Nevertheless, the competition between these two footballers is only a small part of a much more significant story. The list of all-time scorers includes players who have been breaking the limits of imagination in their leagues for almost a century. Starting from Cold War Hungarian league and Polish league, the Spanish Primera Division, Italian Serie A, Russian Premier-Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, UEFA Champions League, MLS, etc.

Key Takeaways

• Cristiano Ronaldo is the all-time men’s scorer according to most sources – IFFHS recognizes 975 official goals for club and country as of late June 2026.
• Lionel Messi is close behind his rival Ronaldo, with most tallies putting him at 919 career goals as of mid-2026, with more to come with Inter Miami.
• Both Ronaldo and Messi remain active goalscorers, still finding the net in their early to mid-30s, which is remarkable for any player given today’s high-intensity game.
• There is no official all-time scoring list – while FIFA does not recognise any particular tally, other sources have their own ways of interpreting “official matches,” including friendlies, regional competitions, and even wartime matches.
• Josef Bican, a largely forgotten Czechoslovakian striker, was officially recognized by FIFA as the all-time scorer until 2019, with over 805 goals mostly for Slavia Prague in the 1940s.
• Ferenc Puskás, for whom the FIFA Puskás Award is named, remains one of the most prolific scorers of the early soccer history with a large number of goals scored in relatively unknown competitions.

Why There is No Single “Official” All-Time Scoring List

Beforehand, I would like to note that FIFA does not maintain an official all-time scoring list. There are two organisations that determine the most prolific goalscorers in the world, and their lists may differ, as they have different criteria for counting goals. These organisations are the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and the Rec.Sport. Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Some lists include unofficial friendlies, while others do not. Apart from that, some take into account matches played during wartime, which is arguable. As a result, there may be different numbers for each player depending on the source.

The Modern-Era Greats: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

At least until the end of June 2026, you would be mistaken if you tried to think of anyone else when considering the best goals scorers. It is an easy task to name, at the very least, two footballers who have been dominating the scene for almost two decades. As the official goal scorer rankings of the IFFHS tell us, Cristiano Ronaldo has an impressive total of 975 official goals for his clubs and country. This makes him the all-time men’s leading scorer according to the IFFHS and other credible sources. The Portuguese forward has been scoring goals in his professional career for the better of 220 matches.

The Legends of the Football’s Past: Josef Bican, Ferenc Puskás, and Pelé

While many all-time scoring debates are dominated by current football stars such as Ronaldo and Messi, several great players of the past also score heavily. For example, Bican, the Czechoslovakian forward, has officially recorded 805 goals by 2019, although unofficial statistics count close to 900. Meanwhile, Puskás, the Hungarian striker and namesake of the Puskás Award, is also remembered as one of the all-time greats. Finally, Pelé, the legendary Brazilian playmaker and a three-time World Cup winner, is also mentioned in the same breath, although he is often considered underrated compared to modern footballers.

The Rest: Other Players Who Have Had a Shot at the All-Time Scoring Title

Outside the discussion about the all-time greats, several current and former players have made headlines about their goal-scoring abilities. For example, Harry Kane recently became the fifth player to score 500 goals for Bayern Munich, after making a significant contribution to the club’s return to the Bundesliga title contention this season. Another modern-day marksman, Karim Benzema, has scored the most career goals among current players, making him remarkably similar to the likes of Alfredo Di Stéfano (537 goals) and Hungary’s Gyorgy Sárosi, who are also close to the top of the all-time scoring list.

A Dynamic List with Plenty of Changes Ahead

As of June 2026, the most remarkable aspect of the all-time scoring list is that it is still being written. It means that six players on the list are still active, and therefore the rankings could change dramatically in the coming years. It is still unclear whether Ronaldo will be the first men’s soccer player to score a millennium goal or whether Messi will be able to overtake him while at Inter Miami. These two footballers will undoubtedly continue to fuel the debate about who is the best in the sport.

A Note on the Sources

This article was researched using the IFFHS, RSSSF, The PFSA, Goal Nigeria, and AllTimeScores resources. Some of the metrics may differ slightly between the sources as the list is unofficial and several tallies were estimated from different databases, with each having their own statistical discrepancies, omissions, and variances in the recorded match/goal history. For insightful football content, historical data, and sports statistics, check out the Nexus of Nation.