Scoring for your country is every footballer’s dream, and only a few players have turned it into a long-lasting legacy. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the men’s international goal scoring with 143 goals in 226 matches since his 2003 debut. Ronaldo has the most international hat-tricks (10), making him the greatest international scorer.
His long-time rival Lionel Messi is second with 115 goals in 196 Argentina appearances, continuing their era-defining rivalry. Legendary players include Ali Daei of Iran with 108 goals, Ferenc Puskas of Hungary with 84 in 85 games, and Godfrey Chitalu of Zambia with 79.
Fourth-ranked Sunil Chhetri of India has 95 goals in 155 matches. Modern stars like Romelu Lukaku (Belgium, 89 goals), Robert Lewandowski (Poland, 86 goals), and Ali Mabkhout (UAE, 85 goals) show how goal-scoring charts are spread across continents.
Top 10 Men’s International Goal Scorers
| Rank | Player | Country | Goals | Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 143 | 226 |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 115 | 196 |
| 3 | Ali Daei | Iran | 108 | 148 |
| 4 | Sunil Chhetri | India | 95 | 155 |
| 5 | Mokhtar Dahari | Malaysia | 89 | 142 |
| 6 | Romelu Lukaku | Belgium | 89 | 124 |
| 7 | Robert Lewandowski | Poland | 86 | 160 |
| 8 | Ali Mabkhout | UAE | 85 | 115 |
| 9 | Ferenc Puskas | Hungary | 84 | 85 |
| 10 | Godfrey Chitalu | Zambia | 79 | 111 |
Women’s International Football
When it comes to women’s international football, the scoring feats are even more astonishing. Every player in the women’s top 10 has crossed the 100-goal mark, something only three male players have managed.
With 190 goals in 331 matches, Christine Sinclair of Canada is the all-time top scorer in football. She inspired the world by leading Canada to their first Olympic gold in Tokyo. After Abby Wambach with 184 goals, Mia Hamm with 158 is another American legend.
World-class women’s players like Marta of Brazil and Birgit Prinz of Germany are represented on the list, which is dominated by North American players like Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, and Kristine Lilly.
Top 10 Women’s International Goal Scorers
| Rank | Player | Country | Goals | Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christine Sinclair | Canada | 190 | 331 |
| 2 | Abby Wambach | USA | 184 | 256 |
| 3 | Mia Hamm | USA | 158 | 276 |
| 4 | Maysa Jbarah | Jordan | 137 | 133 |
| 5 | Carli Lloyd | USA | 134 | 316 |
| 6 | Kristine Lilly | USA | 130 | 354 |
| 7 | Birgit Prinz | Germany | 128 | 214 |
| 8 | Alex Morgan | USA | 123 | 224 |
| 9 | Marta | Brazil | 124 | 209 |
| 10 | Julie Fleeting | Scotland | 116 | 121 |