Goal scoring rankings are not as straightforward as one might think. The ranking of the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) is the most popular one, and the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are known to be at the top. According to the IFFHS, Cristiano Ronaldo is the only man who has scored more than 900 career goals in official matches, while Messi is only four goals short.
Ronaldo's milestone was achieved during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League group stage match against Croatia on September 5, 2024. Setting a remarkable high bar at age 40, Cristiano Ronaldo leads the IFFHS ranking, leaving behind his longtime rival Messi (896 goals) and Brazilian legend Pelé (767 goals). There is, however, another ranking, which uses a different methodology.
We're talking about the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF) ranking. According to this ranking, Cristiano Ronaldo stands in second place!
In this gallery, you'll get to know the top goal scorers in soccer history, according to the RSSSF.
Click on to discover them.
Note: + indicates a player may have scored more