Cristiano Ronaldo is 21 goals away from 1,000 career goals, keeping the Portugal captain within touching distance of a milestone no men's footballer has officially reached under the commonly used senior club-and-country counting method. At 41, Ronaldo has 979 goals, including 833 for clubs and 146 for Portugal.
That means the modern rivalry is still shaping one of football's oldest statistical debates. Ronaldo and Messi have pulled far beyond most of the legendary goalscorers who came before them, while Robert Lewandowski remains the only other active player comfortably inside the historical top 10.
The exact totals can differ between statistical databases because historical records are not always counted in the same way. The ranking below focuses on senior club goals and recognised senior international goals, while excluding youth matches, club friendlies and penalty-shootout kicks. That distinction matters, particularly when comparing players from different eras.
Top 10 Highest Goalscorers in Football History
| Rank | Player | Career goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 979 |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | 931 |
| 3 | Pelé | 762 |
| 4 | Romário | 756 |
| 5 | Ferenc Puskás | 725 |
| 6 | Josef Bican | 722 |
| 7 | Robert Lewandowski | 700 |
| 8 | Jimmy Jones | 647 |
| 9 | Gerd Müller | 634 |
| 10 | Joe Bambrick | 626 |
The two active superstars dominate the modern version of the list. Historical figures such as Pelé, Romário, Puskás and Bican remain remarkably high despite playing in eras with different competition structures and fewer opportunities for international travel and club competition.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo - 979 Goals
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Cristiano Ronaldo remains the leading scorer in this senior career-goal comparison, with 979 goals for club and country.
His tally includes 833 club goals and a world-record 146 international goals for Portugal. UEFA confirms that Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in men's international football and also the record appearance-maker, with 234 Portugal appearances.
The next number everyone is watching is 1,000.
Ronaldo needs only 21 more goals to reach the landmark. He has openly spoken about wanting to reach it, describing the milestone as the potential "icing on the cake" of his career.
The timing makes the pursuit even more remarkable. Ronaldo is already 41, yet he remains an important figure for Al-Nassr and Portugal.
His international future became a major talking point in October after he left Portugal's training camp following a dispute surrounding his selection. Portugal coach Jorge Jesus has since left the door open for his return.
2. Lionel Messi - 931 Goals
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Lionel Messi is the only player currently close enough to Ronaldo to make the 1,000-goal race a realistic two-man conversation.
Messi reached 931 career goals after scoring for Inter Miami against Columbus Crew on September 27, 2026. His total comprises 806 club goals and 125 for Argentina under the same senior-goal methodology.
The goal against Columbus was particularly memorable because Messi scored from a difficult free-kick angle, adding another spectacular moment to an extraordinary late-career scoring run.
MLS statistics also show how productive Messi has remained in 2026. He had 21 goals and 13 assists in 24 MLS appearances in the statistics available for the season.
Lionel Messi is therefore 48 goals behind Ronaldo and 69 away from 1,000.
He also owns an extraordinary collection of individual records, including a record eight Ballon d'Or awards, while his Argentina career includes the 2022 World Cup triumph.
3. Pelé - 762 Goals
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Pelé remains third with 762 recognised senior career goals.
The Brazilian icon's record is especially difficult to compare directly with modern players because historical goal databases often treat unofficial matches differently. Pelé himself claimed a much higher overall number, but the commonly used top-level statistical count places him at 762.
His legacy extends far beyond the total.
Pelé won three World Cups with Brazil, in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and spent the majority of his club career with Santos before later playing for the New York Cosmos.
His Santos scoring record helped establish him as one of football's first truly global superstars.
4. Romário - 756 Goals
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Romário is fourth with 756 goals.
The Brazilian striker combined sharp movement inside the penalty area with an exceptional ability to finish quickly. He was a central figure in Brazil's 1994 World Cup triumph and scored five goals during the tournament.
His club career took him across several countries, but PSV Eindhoven became one of the defining chapters.
Romário scored 98 goals in 110 appearances for PSV, a remarkable scoring rate that illustrates why his name remains so high on the historical list.
5. Ferenc Puskás - 725 Goals
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Ferenc Puskás occupies fifth place with 725 goals.
The Hungarian great became famous with Budapest Honvéd and later built another legendary chapter at Real Madrid. His left foot became one of the most recognisable weapons in football history.
Puskás also gave his name to FIFA's annual Puskás Award, presented for the most outstanding goal of the year.
One of his defining international performances came in Hungary's famous 6-3 victory over England at Wembley in 1953, a match later remembered as the "Match of the Century."
His combination of goals, technical quality and longevity explains why Puskás remains a fixture in discussions about the greatest forwards ever.
6. Josef Bican - 722 Goals
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Josef Bican sits just three goals behind Puskás with 722 recognised goals.
Bican's career stretched from the 1930s into the 1950s, with Slavia Prague becoming the club most closely associated with his name.
His scoring record is one of the most difficult in football history to compare with modern statistics because historical sources sometimes include different categories of matches.
IFFHS has nevertheless consistently placed Bican among the game's elite historical scorers. Its historical rankings show him among the leading players with more than 500 top-level goals.
7. Robert Lewandowski - 700 Goals
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Robert Lewandowski is the highest-ranked player outside Ronaldo and Messi who is still active, with 700 career goals under the same senior-goal methodology.
The Poland captain built much of his reputation at Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich before moving to Barcelona.
His Bayern period was particularly prolific. He eventually became one of the Bundesliga's defining modern strikers and surpassed the club's previous scoring expectations alongside the legacy of Gerd Müller.
Lewandowski's position on this list is significant because it shows how difficult it is for modern strikers to break into the territory occupied by Ronaldo and Messi.
He has reached 700, yet Ronaldo is still 279 goals ahead of him.
8. Jimmy Jones - 647 Goals
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Jimmy Jones is one of the least familiar names to modern fans on the list, but his scoring record puts him above several better-known forwards.
The Northern Irish striker played primarily in the middle of the 20th century and was especially prolific for Glenavon.
His career is a reminder that the all-time scoring table is not simply a list of famous modern names. Players from earlier generations produced extraordinary totals despite very different footballing environments.
9. Gerd Müller - 634 Goals
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Gerd Müller scored 634 recognised goals, placing him ninth.
The German striker was one of the most devastating penalty-area finishers football has produced.
His defining international moment came in the 1974 World Cup final, when Müller scored the winning goal against the Netherlands as West Germany won the tournament.
At Bayern Munich, he scored 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga appearances, an astonishing record that stood for decades.
Müller's reputation was built on efficiency rather than elaborate play. Inside the penalty area, his movement and finishing made him exceptionally difficult to contain.
10. Joe Bambrick - 626 Goals
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Joe Bambrick completes the top 10 with 626 recognised goals.
The Northern Irish forward played during the 1920s and 1930s and represented clubs including Chelsea and Walsall.
At Chelsea, Bambrick scored 33 goals in 61 appearances, while he also scored 11 goals in 11 appearances for Northern Ireland.
His inclusion illustrates the historical depth of the goalscoring rankings. Several players who dominated football before the modern television era remain statistically ahead of many household names.
Why Ronaldo Is Still So Far Ahead of Messi?
The 48-goal gap between Ronaldo and Messi is striking because both players have spent almost two decades scoring at extraordinary rates.
Ronaldo's advantage has been built partly through his extraordinary longevity, but also through his ability to remain productive after leaving his peak years at Real Madrid.
His 146 international goals for Portugal are a major part of the difference. UEFA recognises him as the men's international scoring record-holder.
Messi, meanwhile, has maintained an exceptional scoring rate even after leaving European football.
His 2026 numbers for Inter Miami show that the move to MLS has not turned his career into a ceremonial final chapter. He continues to score and create goals regularly.
Could Messi Catch Ronaldo?
Messi is 48 goals behind Ronaldo, so the gap is substantial but not necessarily permanent.
At 39, Messi still has a contract with Inter Miami through 2028, and his 2026 scoring form shows that he remains capable of producing goals at a remarkable rate.
But catching Ronaldo would require Messi to continue playing and scoring for several more seasons while Ronaldo stops adding significantly to his total.
That is why the race is so fascinating.
For now, Ronaldo controls the most important number: 979 to 931.
FAQ
Who is the highest goalscorer in football history?
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the leading scorer in the senior club-and-international career comparison used here, with 979 goals.
How many goals does Lionel Messi have?
Lionel Messi has 931 senior career goals in the same counting framework, based on his total after scoring for Inter Miami against Columbus Crew on September 27, 2026.
How many goals does Ronaldo need to reach 1,000?
Ronaldo needs 21 more goals to move from 979 to 1,000.
Who is the highest-scoring active player after Ronaldo and Messi?
Robert Lewandowski is the next active player on this ranking, with 700 career goals under the same counting methodology.
Did Pelé really score more than 1,000 goals?
Pelé claimed a total above 1,000, but those broader figures include matches and categories that are not counted in the standard senior top-level career-goal ranking. The commonly used recognised total is 762.
Why do football websites show different career-goal totals?
Different databases use different rules for friendlies, unofficial matches, youth games, regional competitions and historical records. Comparing players is therefore most meaningful when the same methodology is applied to everyone.
Can Messi still reach 1,000 goals?
Yes, mathematically. At 931, he needs 69 more goals, and his continued scoring for Inter Miami shows that the possibility remains open. Whether he reaches it depends on his playing time, form and how long he continues his career.
Also Read: Which Clubs Have Won the Most Champions League Titles 2026?
