In today's age of club football's immense popularity, the thrill of scoring goals at club and national teams remains a coveted experience for every footballer.
Some players have achieved this feat repeatedly, leaving an indelible mark in football history.
In this content, we highlight the names of these players, who have left their marks on the world of football as the top goal scorers in men's football history.
Below is a ranking of the top ten highest goal scorers of all time from top to bottom:
The Al-Nassr superstar's record-breaking achievements have solidified his place in history, with no one scoring more FIFA-recognized goals than him.
With his recent goal at the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo became the only player to score in five separate World Cups.
He has also reached an incredible milestone of 500 career league goals and has surpassed 200 international caps, a world record.
With 127 goals for his country, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down and is on track to become the highest goal scorer in 2023, having already scored 53 goals this year.
In addition to Inter Miami's numerous goals, he has also become a World Cup winner by leading Argentina to victory in Qatar.
Messi has also earned a record eight Ballon d'Or awards for the most decorated footballer in the year 2022/23. Even at 36, Lionel Messi continues to showcase his goal-scoring prowess with no sign of declining.
The goal machine netted an impressive 395 goals in 217 matches for Slavia Prague from 1937 to 1948.
Despite reports of scoring nearly 1,500 total goals during his career, FIFA only officially recognized 805 of them.
Throughout his career, the Brazilian forward played for 10 different clubs and participated in over 700 matches.
His standout performance came while playing for PSV, where he scored an impressive 98 goals in just 110 games. And at the International level, Romario found the back of the net 55 times in 70 appearances for his national team.
The great Pele made his debut for Brazil at the tender age of 16, winning his first World Cup at 17, and went on to become a football idol that other footballers adore.
Though he passed away in 2022, his legacy continues to inspire the footballing world.
He is renowned for receiving the award of the most beautiful goal of the year consecutively.
During his time at Real Madrid, he scored over 150 goals, almost averaging a goal per game.
Muller netted 68 goals for Germany and his most notable goal was the winning goal in the 1974 World Cup final against the Netherlands in Munich.
During his 15 years at Bayern, Muller set records with 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and 66 goals in 74 European matches.
Muller's record of scoring 40 goals in a single Bundesliga season stood for 49 years until it was broken by Barcelona legend Robert Lewandowski in May 2021.
Deak played for six clubs in Hungary, accumulating over 400 appearances.
At Szentlorinci AC, he managed to score an impressive 358 goals in 186 games between 1940 and 1947, averaging over three goals per game.
Seeler represented West Germany in four World Cups and served as captain in the 1966 final, where West Germany was defeated by England.
Throughout his career, Seeler played in over 400 matches for Hamburger SV and later served as the club's president for a brief period.
He died in July 2022 and his passing led to an outpouring of tributes from clubs across Germany.
Maravilha called it quits in 2019 after playing for 40 clubs in his sterling football career.
His most successful stint was at Botafogo, where he clinched the league's Golden Boot three times.
He also made 15 appearances for the Brazil national team, scoring 13 goals and holding the record of never losing a match with his country.
Mbappe was awarded the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot after scoring a total of eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final match.
However, despite this achievement, he still has some work to do to cement his place as one of the highest goal scorers, having netted 306 goals and 127 assists in 417 career appearances for both club and country.
Some players have achieved this feat repeatedly, leaving an indelible mark in football history.
In this content, we highlight the names of these players, who have left their marks on the world of football as the top goal scorers in men's football history.
Below is a ranking of the top ten highest goal scorers of all time from top to bottom:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (868 goals in 1,194 games)
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 868 goals in 1,194 games, putting him at the top of the all-time scoring table.The Al-Nassr superstar's record-breaking achievements have solidified his place in history, with no one scoring more FIFA-recognized goals than him.
With his recent goal at the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo became the only player to score in five separate World Cups.
He has also reached an incredible milestone of 500 career league goals and has surpassed 200 international caps, a world record.
With 127 goals for his country, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down and is on track to become the highest goal scorer in 2023, having already scored 53 goals this year.
2. Lionel Messi (819 goals in 1047 games)
Lionel Messi has moved ahead of Romario and Pele to claim the second spot, but Ronaldo still holds the top position.In addition to Inter Miami's numerous goals, he has also become a World Cup winner by leading Argentina to victory in Qatar.
Messi has also earned a record eight Ballon d'Or awards for the most decorated footballer in the year 2022/23. Even at 36, Lionel Messi continues to showcase his goal-scoring prowess with no sign of declining.
3. Josef Bican (805 goals in over 530 games)
Bican held the title of football's top goalscorer for over 60 years until he was finally defeated.The goal machine netted an impressive 395 goals in 217 matches for Slavia Prague from 1937 to 1948.
Despite reports of scoring nearly 1,500 total goals during his career, FIFA only officially recognized 805 of them.
4. Romario (772 goals 994 games)
In 1994, Romario guided Brazil to a World Cup victory, contributing five goals during the prestigious FIFA tournament.Throughout his career, the Brazilian forward played for 10 different clubs and participated in over 700 matches.
His standout performance came while playing for PSV, where he scored an impressive 98 goals in just 110 games. And at the International level, Romario found the back of the net 55 times in 70 appearances for his national team.
5. Pele (757 goals in 831 games)
Being regarded as the greatest of all time, Pele scored 757 goals in 831 games and led Brazil to three World Cup victories.The great Pele made his debut for Brazil at the tender age of 16, winning his first World Cup at 17, and went on to become a football idol that other footballers adore.
Though he passed away in 2022, his legacy continues to inspire the footballing world.
6. Ferenc Puskas (746 goals in over 754 games)
Puskas became a household name in Budapest before establishing himself as a legend at Real Madrid.He is renowned for receiving the award of the most beautiful goal of the year consecutively.
During his time at Real Madrid, he scored over 150 goals, almost averaging a goal per game.
7. Gerd Muller (734 goals in 793 games)
Muller achieved success as a World Cup and European Championship winner with West Germany.Muller netted 68 goals for Germany and his most notable goal was the winning goal in the 1974 World Cup final against the Netherlands in Munich.
During his 15 years at Bayern, Muller set records with 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and 66 goals in 74 European matches.
Muller's record of scoring 40 goals in a single Bundesliga season stood for 49 years until it was broken by Barcelona legend Robert Lewandowski in May 2021.
8. Ferenc Deak over (576 goals; total games played unknown)
Ferenc Deak scored a total of 576 goals during his career, but the exact number of games he played is unknown.Deak played for six clubs in Hungary, accumulating over 400 appearances.
At Szentlorinci AC, he managed to score an impressive 358 goals in 186 games between 1940 and 1947, averaging over three goals per game.
9. Uwe Seeler scored (over 575 goals with total games played unknown)
Seeler represented West Germany in four World Cups and served as captain in the 1966 final, where West Germany was defeated by England.
Throughout his career, Seeler played in over 400 matches for Hamburger SV and later served as the club's president for a brief period.
He died in July 2022 and his passing led to an outpouring of tributes from clubs across Germany.
10. Tulio Maravilha (575 goals with total games played unknown)
Maravilha called it quits in 2019 after playing for 40 clubs in his sterling football career.
His most successful stint was at Botafogo, where he clinched the league's Golden Boot three times.
He also made 15 appearances for the Brazil national team, scoring 13 goals and holding the record of never losing a match with his country.
Who is the highest goal scorer in the 2022 World Cup?
French and PSG star Kylian Mbappe was the highest goal scorer in the prestigious 2022 Qatar World Cup.Mbappe was awarded the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot after scoring a total of eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final match.
However, despite this achievement, he still has some work to do to cement his place as one of the highest goal scorers, having netted 306 goals and 127 assists in 417 career appearances for both club and country.