In the game of football, the ultimate way to victory is scoring more goals than the opposing team. But it is equally important to have solid defenders and not concede goals. When the defenders step up and score goals themselves, that’s an added bonus. Today, we will have a look at the highest goal-scoring defenders in 2025.
In any football club around the world, the defenders form the base of the line-up. For any successful club, it is important to have top defenders who are able to make those solid tackles and stop the opposition from progressing towards their goalposts. Those last-ditch tackles and goal-line saves do more than a goal.
ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 Tickets Update
We have seen the role of defenders transform a lot over the years. In modern football, it is equally important for defenders to score at the other end while defending their box. Today we will take a look at the most goal-scoring defenders in the calendar year 2025.
Note that goals from the most competitive leagues (like the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, etc.) as well as continental and international cup football have been counted. It is also important to note that the defender category includes players who play as left-back, centre-back, and right-back.
Highest Goal-Scoring Defenders in 2025
| Rank | Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denzel Dumfries | Right-Back | Netherlands / Aruba | Inter Milan | 40 | 273 | 11 |
| 2 | Alejandro Grimaldo | Left-Back | Spain | Bayer Leverkusen | 43 | 357 | 10 |
| 3 | Achraf Hakimi | Right-Back | Morocco / Spain | Paris Saint-Germain | 41 | 411 | 8 |
| 4 | Nuno Mendes | Left-Back | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain | 47 | 429 | 8 |
| 5 | Daniel Muñoz | Right-Back | Colombia | Crystal Palace | 48 | 534 | 8 |
| 6 | Nicolás Otamendi | Centre-Back | Argentina | SL Benfica | 54 | 611 | 8 |
| 7 | Raphaël Guerreiro | Left-Back | Portugal / France | Bayern Munich | 32 | 233 | 7 |
| 8 | Nico O’Reilly | Left-Back | England / Jamaica | Manchester City | 35 | 360 | 7 |
| 9 | Robin Gosens | Left-Back | Germany / Netherlands | Fiorentina | 34 | 366 | 7 |
| 10 | Charlie Cresswell | Centre-Back | England | Toulouse | 34 | 435 | 7 |
Denzel Dumfries
At the top of the highest goal-scoring defenders in 2025 chart is the Netherlands full-back Denzel Dumfries. The 29-year-old plays as an attacking right-back for Inter Milan in Serie A. He is allowed to make those aggressive runs, thus getting into great goal-scoring areas, which is why he has scored 11 goals in 2025 for Inter Milan and the Netherlands football team in a total of 40 appearances.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denzel Dumfries | Right-Back | Netherlands / Aruba | Inter Milan | 40 | 273 | 11 |
Alejandro Grimaldo
What Dumfries does on the right side, Bayer Leverkusen and Spanish full-back Alejandro Grimaldo does the same on the left side of the pitch. In Bayer Leverkusen’s system, Grimaldo is allowed to go forward and be one of the most aggressive and forward players on the left side of the pitch. He has a lethal finish and on occasion takes Leverkusen’s penalties as well, which has allowed him to score 10 goals in the calendar year 2025 in 43 appearances.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alejandro Grimaldo | Left-Back | Spain | Bayer Leverkusen | 43 | 357 | 10 |
Achraf Hakimi
At number three on the most goal-scoring defenders in 2025 list is Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) right-back Achraf Hakimi. The Moroccan full-back is a high-energy player who runs up and down in PSG’s wide areas, allowing for more width, which has also resulted in goals for Achraf Hakimi, who has scored a total of 8 goals in 2025 in 41 appearances.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achraf Hakimi | Right-Back | Morocco / Spain | Paris Saint-Germain | 41 | 411 | 8 |
Nuno Mendes
Portuguese left-back Nuno Mendes does the same as Hakimi on the other side of the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) left-back area. PSG have been blessed with two quality full-backs who are high on energy, while Mendes is strong and powerful, which allows him to outmuscle opposition players and get into goal-scoring areas. Just like Hakimi, Nuno Mendes has also scored 8 goals in 2025 in 47 appearances for club and country.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuno Mendes | Left-Back | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain | 47 | 429 | 8 |
Daniel Muñoz
The Crystal Palace full-back Daniel Muñoz is the highest goal-scoring defender in 2025 from the Premier League. Muñoz is the most attacking full-back who plays in the Premier League. The 29-year-old Palace right-back has been a great source of goals for Crystal Palace, having netted 8 goals in 48 appearances for Palace and Colombia.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Muñoz | Right-Back | Colombia | Crystal Palace | 48 | 534 | 8 |
Nicolás Otamendi
Benfica’s Nicolás Otamendi is the highest goal-scoring centre-back in 2025. While the above-mentioned names are mostly attacking full-backs, Nicolás Otamendi plays mostly as a centre-back for Portuguese club Benfica. Otamendi gets most of his goals from corners and also occasionally takes penalties. The Argentine has scored 8 goals in 54 appearances for club and country.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicolás Otamendi | Centre-Back | Argentina | SL Benfica | 54 | 611 | 8 |
Raphaël Guerreiro
The next name in the list of most goals scored by defenders in 2025 is Bayern Munich’s Portuguese left-back Raphaël Guerreiro. He is an aggressive and attacking full-back who is high on energy and likes to go on a constant attack down the left-back position. The Portuguese/French left-back has scored 7 goals in 32 appearances for Bayern Munich and his national team.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raphaël Guerreiro | Left-Back | Portugal / France | Bayern Munich | 32 | 233 | 7 |
Nico O’Reilly
Manchester City’s youngster Nico O’Reilly has had a very good season with Manchester City in the Premier League (PL) in 2025. The England international left-back has beaten the competition for the left-back position at Manchester City and has established himself as the number one choice for the left-back position. The 20-year-old City full-back has scored 7 goals in 2025.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nico O’Reilly | Left-Back | England / Jamaica | Manchester City | 35 | 360 | 7 |
Robin Gosens
German veteran Robin Gosens continues to show why he is still a very good attacking full-back while playing for the Serie A outfit Fiorentina. The former Inter Milan and Union Berlin left-back has been in great goal-scoring form in the year 2025. The 31-year-old has scored 7 goals in 34 appearances this year.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin Gosens | Left-Back | Germany / Netherlands | Fiorentina | 34 | 366 | 7 |
Charlie Cresswell
In 10th place on the highest goal-scoring defenders in 2025 is English centre-back Charlie Cresswell, who plays for the French Ligue 1 club FC Toulouse. Cresswell is a former England U21 international, but it didn’t work for him in England, and he moved to France. He has been brilliant for Toulouse, scoring 7 goals in 34 appearances, including 3 goals scored already in the 2025-2026 season itself.
| Player | Position | Nation(s) | Club | Apps | Mins/Goal | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Cresswell | Centre-Back | England | Toulouse | 34 | 435 | 7 |