Top 10 footballers with the most club goals since 2000

These elite goalscorers have scored goals week in and week out in the last two decade

Football is a game of goals and probably there would be none who disagrees. Great Players, Great Goals, Great Performances we love to see all. Many prolific goalscorers have graced the game since the turn of the century, scoring goals and winning trophies galore for club and country. Considering the attacking talent over the last two decades, there have been many memorable calendar-year performances in this period. Even when they do not find the back of the net, these players present a credible threat to opponents in the attacking third because of their ability to conjure goal-scoring opportunities for teammates. 

Here are the top 10 players with the most club goals since 2000 (top five leagues, all competitions since 2000):

10. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 304 goals

The former Arsenal striker is currently struggling with his form in his new club Chelsea. The prolific striker played 561 games and scored 294 goals. The Gaboneese had a small stint with FC Barcelona the previous season where he scored a couple of goals which helped the club to play in the Champions league. He will like to get in form as soon as possible as his club is currently struggling in the Premier League.

9. Edin Džeko - 304 goals

Džeko is a tall striker who possesses body strength. But he is not the conventional type of striker who only stays on the shoulder of the defenders. Džeko often plays deep to achieve numerical superiority for his side in the midfield. He is very much underrated but plays a crucial part in his team. He has played 669 games and scored 304 goals. Even though he is right now 36 years old but still he has a knack for scoring goals and is very much lethal in front of goals.

8. Luis Suarez - 311 goals

Luis Suarez is a prolific striker renowned for his direct running at opponents, work rate, technical brilliance and ability to create many scoring chances for his teammates. Suarez is considered one of the best Uruguayan to play this game along with his strike partner in the national team, Edinson Cavani. In 499 games the Uruguayan has scored 311 times.  Suarez has played in heavyweight European clubs like Ajax, Liverpool, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Luis Suarez is also a winner himself having won the Champions League and Copa America both once along with La Liga (5 times), Spanish Cup (4 times), Spanish Super Cup (2 times), and The Eredivisie (1 time). 

7. Sergio Aguero - 362 goals

Manchester City and Argentina legend has played 629 games and scored 362 times. The centre-forward, who is equally at ease while operating as a second striker, Aguero is renowned for his passing ability, link-up play and tactical intelligence besides his obvious goal-scoring prowess. Sergio Aguero’s most famous and iconic moment in the history of the Premier League was the match-winning goal against QPR in the dying minutes of the match in 2012. Aguero also shares the record with Henry of having scored 20 or more goals in five consecutive Premier League seasons.

6. Edinson Cavani - 367 goals

Edison Cavani is a very famous name in both club and international football. Cavani is often called “el matador” for his exceptional finishing skills.  He is very aggressive in his runs and smart in his movements in the box. One characteristic that differentiates Cavani from many strikers is his willingness to defend excessively for his team. He is one of the strikers with the highest defensive work rates as he is constantly getting out of his advanced position to go back and defend. The Uruguayan legend has played 629 games and has scored 367 goals.

5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 391 goals

The all-time Swedish top scorer has scored 391 goals till now in a still-continuing career. At an age when many strikers are a few years into their retirements, Zlatan is still going on, even though is suffering from injury but he is still capable of scoring some mindblowing goals. The prolific striker, who is renowned for his finishing ability, aerial prowess, ball control, versatility and playmaking prowess, is also a dead-ball specialist. Ibrahimovic has won major trophies like the Scudetto (4 times), La Liga (1 time), English League Cup (1 time), Spanish Super Cup (2 times), Italian Super Cup (3 times), Ligue 1 (4 times), French Cup (2 times), French League Cup (3 times), Eredivisie(2 times), Europa League (1 time), UEFA Super Cup(1 time), French Super Cup (4 times), English Super Cup (1 time) along with 2 Serie A golden boots and 3 Ligue 1 golden boot. 

4. Karim Benzema - 407 goals

French striker Karim Benzema has been a Real Madrid regular since arriving at the club in the summer of 2009. The current Ballon d'Or winner is considered to be one of the best strikers ever to play for the Los Blancos. Benzema is renowned for his aerial prowess, goal-scoring ability and versatility that allows the forward to drop deep and create goal-scoring opportunities for teammates. He has played 773 games and netted 402 times in his career.

3. Robert Lewandowski - 472 goals

Robert Lewandowski is arguably the hottest striker in world football at the moment. He has hit the ground running since joining his new club FC Barcelona and is scoring goals for fun.  Recently, Robert Lewandowski broke a near 50-year-old Gerd Muller’s record by scoring record 41 goals in a season, the most goals in a single Bundesliga season. He is renowned for his remarkable goal-scoring prowess, aerial proficiency, tactical intelligence and ability to bring other teammates into play by conjuring goal-scoring opportunities. Lewandowski has won The FIFA Best Men’s player, UEFA Best Player and Champions League golden boot once each, Bundesliga golden boot (6 times), the Champions League once, the Bundesliga title (9 times), German Super Cup (5 times) and The German Cup (4 times). He has featured in 587 games and scored 470 goals.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo - 696 goals

Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably one of the best players to have graced the game, is the epitome of sustained excellence and longevity during an illustrious career with club and country. He has played 918 games and has scored 696 goals. Ronaldo is an all-round striker best in every aspect striker should be it dribbling, skills, finishing, heading or distance shooting. The all-time top-scorer in Real Madrid and Champions League history is one of a select group of players to have won multiple league titles in three different top-five leagues in Europe.

1. Lionel Messi - 700 goals

The football wizard needs no introduction. One of the best players ever to play this game. Messi, who is one of the last vestiges of the true one-club era, is LaLiga's all-time top-scorer and assist-provider. Nevertheless, the diminutive Argentine attacker, who is renowned for his metronomic scoring prowess and ability to dribble at speed, has a plethora of records in the game. The little man from Rosario played 835 games and scored 697 times. The Barcelona and Argentina captain has scored the most Champions League goals for a single club (115 for Barcelona) and has won the most LaLiga titles (10) and Ballon d'Or awards (7) by any player in history.

**The article was last updated on 27 February 2023.