The 10 fastest players to reach 100 goal contributions in international football have been revealed. It’s a milestone few achieve in their careers, presenting a unique set of challenges compared to chasing the same feat at club level. Success on the international stage often depends as much on luck of birthplace and opportunities in major tournaments as it does on pure talent.
Interestingly, while Cristiano Ronaldo is the all-time top goalscorer in international football, he ranks surprisingly low on this list, and Lionel Messi doesn’t even crack the top five. Curated by Transfermarkt, the list offers a fascinating glimpse into the players who have made their mark on the global stage - and highlights just how rare and remarkable this achievement really is.
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The 10 Fastest Players to Reach 100 International Goal Contributions
10. Miroslav Klose (Germany) - 136 matches
Klose is Germany’s all-time top scorer and holds the record for the most goals scored in World Cup history, with 16 in total. Even better for his country than he ever was for any of his clubs, it’s no surprise he kickstarts this list, having reached a century of goal contributions at the age of 36 - the same age he retired after lifting the trophy at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - 136 matches
Having reached the milestone in the same number of matches as Klose - but five years younger, at 31 - Ronaldo has gone on to play for Portugal for another decade. In that time, he has added a remarkable 43 goals to his tally, cementing his status as international football’s all-time top scorer.
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo warms up to face the Republic of Ireland.
8. Robert Lewandowski (Poland) - 128 matches
Robert Lewandowski almost certainly deserved to win a Ballon d’Or at some point in his career. Having racked up numbers comparable to Ronaldo at various stages, it’s no surprise he features on this list. What is truly remarkable, however, is that he has achieved it with Poland, often having to act as a one-man wrecking machine just to give his nation a fighting chance in international tournaments.
7. Ali Daehi (Iran) - 123 matches
Ali Daei is the all-time top scorer in Asian men’s international football, and he held the overall record until a certain Portuguese talisman came along. He captained his nation from 2000 to 2006, and his tally of 108 goals in 148 international appearances cements his place as one of Asia’s greatest footballers ever.
6. Lionel Messi (Argentina) - 122 matches
After winning the 2022 World Cup, there seems little left for eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi to achieve in football. He tops most lists when it comes to goals and assists - but not this one. The start of his international career coincided with a period of struggle for Argentina, so much so that Messi even briefly pressed pause on his national team duties at one point, before returning in emphatic style to also guide them to two Copa America titles.
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates against Venezuela.
World Cup - CONMEBOL Qualifiers - Argentina v Venezuela - Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - September 4, 2025 Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian
5. Luis Suarez (Uruguay) - 116 matches
Considered one of the best players of his generation not named Messi or Ronaldo, Luis Suarez finished his international career with 69 goals and 39 assists in 143 appearances for Uruguay, making him his country’s record holder in both categories. Yet, despite these remarkable numbers, his most famous moment in the La Celeste shirt remains the infamous handball against Ghana in the 2010 World Cup.
4. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) - 113 matches
At his best, Romelu Lukaku is unstoppable. His speed, strength, and shot power have made him a goal-scoring machine at various points in his career. While consistency was harder to come by in the Premier League, he was regularly tipped as the poster boy of Belgium’s golden generation. This rapid rise saw him reach 100 goal involvements shortly after his 30th birthday - though it’s a shame that Belgium never quite lived up to their potential as major tournament winners.
3. Mohamed Salah (Egypt) - 111 matches
After scoring and assisting in Egypt’s 3-2 win over Ivory Coast in the 2025 AFCON quarter-final, Mohamed Salah became the third fastest player to reach 100 goal contributions, achieving the milestone in just 111 matches. He may no longer be as lightning-quick, nor feared as he once was in his prime, but he’s still finding the back of the net with regularity. Egypt now look like strong contenders for the rest of the tournament, while Liverpool fans eagerly await his return.
Egypt's Mohamed Salah in action
2. Neymar (Brazil) - 94 matches
He may not have reached the milestone in the fewest matches, but Neymar can boast of achieving it at the remarkably young age of just 26. It remains one of world football’s great disappointments that the former Barcelona winger was never able to fully live up to the enormous promise he showed at Santos. Still, he was a phenomenal player, and this statistic proves it - even if his honours list falls short of the lofty expectations placed on him.
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1. Pele (Brazil) - 77 matches
Pele, who holds the record for the most World Cup wins with three, contributed at an astonishing rate of 1.3 goal involvements per match across his first 77 appearances for Brazil, reaching 100 goal contributions in record time. If there was ever any debate about whether he is international football’s greatest ever player, this achievement should surely silence the remaining doubters. See the full list below:
Fastest Players to 100 Goal Involvements in International Football
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All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 11/01/2026)