REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
The 29 all-time highest goalscorers across Europe's top five leagues have been revealed, with players from La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and the Premier League going head-to-head for over a century for a place among the greatest domestic marksmen in football history.
Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominate the standings, but the gap between the two icons at the top is far closer than many would expect, with just one goal separating them. Both superstars have every right to believe they belong in the conversation as the greatest players the beautiful game has ever produced.
Elsewhere, the ranking throws up plenty of surprising inclusions and omissions, with some legendary names missing out while others have earned their place among the elite. England's all-time top goalscorer, Harry Kane, also features prominently among Europe's most prolific marksmen.
29-21
Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah
Propping up the rest of the rankings is Edin Dzeko, whose spells with Manchester City, Roma and Inter Milan helped him reach 223 goals - just two fewer than Swedish icon Gunnar Nordahl and four short of Alfredo Di Stefano's tally. The Real Madrid legend scored all but 11 of his 227 goals for the club, including in three Champions League finals, cementing his reputation as one of football's greatest big-game players.
Mohamed Salah also features in 26th, while Thierry Henry's superior tally may be enough to suggest his status as the Premier League's greatest-ever player remains safe for now. Gary Lineker once named Hugo Sanchez as the best goalscorer he played alongside, and the Mexican icon sits 24th.
Gonzalo Higuain and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang occupy the next spots, despite their reputations taking a hit after difficult spells at Chelsea. However, both had previously enjoyed prolific periods elsewhere. Luis Suarez rounds out this section, with his roles in Liverpool's SAS and Barcelona's MSN attacks helping him remain one of the most feared forwards of his generation.
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All-Time Highest Goalscorers in Europe's Top Five Leagues (29-21)
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20-11
Newcastle's Alan Shearer following his 1st minute goal vs Man City
Kylian Mbappe, despite being just 27 years old, is already level with the aforementioned Suarez on 247 goals. The Frenchman is arguably only just entering his prime, meaning he still has plenty of time to climb into the top 10. He needs just three more goals to match Francesco Totti's tally of 250, with the Roma hero widely regarded as one of the greatest one-club players in football history.
Telmo Zarra may not be a name familiar to many modern football fans, but his 15-year spell with Athletic Bilbao between 1940 and 1955 saw him score at an extraordinary rate, plundering 252 goals in just 277 appearances. However, his Spanish successor Raul remains far more recognisable, despite needing 616 games to score just four more goals than Zarra.
Ballon d'Or Power Rankings
Ballon d'Or Power Rankings
A revered figure at Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Manchester City, Sergio Aguero ranks 16th on the list, while Premier League all-time top scorer Alan Shearer sits 15th with 260 goals. Edinson Cavani (267), Klaus Fischer (268) and Silvio Piola (274) follow closely behind, while 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema narrowly misses out on a place in the top 10.
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All-Time Highest Goalscorers in Europe's Top Five Leagues (20-11)
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10-1
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates winning the Champions League
With 299 goals, Delio Onnis is the all-time top goalscorer in the history of Ligue 1 in France, and was the league's top scorer on five occasions. He comes in at 10th, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Dixie Dean just ahead of the Argentine.
Harry Kane is seventh, but after recording one of the highest-scoring seasons in football history with his incredible 2025/26 campaign, he could easily find himself among the top five within the next season or two. Steve Bloomer's tally of 314 is within touching distance, but a similarly-impressive season is needed to surpass Jimmy Greaves (357) and Gerd Muller (365).
In third place, unable to upset the Apple Cart, is Robert Lewandowski - who can still feel wronged by the fact he was denied a Ballon d'Or during the peak of his career. And, of course, the top two are Messi and Ronaldo, with the latter just one goal below the 2022 World Cup winner - despite the Real Madrid legend boasting the title of football's all-time top goalscorer.