Who are the top 10 active goalscorers in international football?

These players are outright living legends for their respective countries.

Goalscorers are usually always in demand and command huge transfer fees. If you are a player who scored plenty of goals in club football, you are expected to do the same on the international stage.

There have been many strikers in football, who have excelled in club football and smashed records but have struggled for consistency on the international stage. That’s why footballers, who score consistently in both club and international football, are revered worldwide. All-time greats like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are among top the active international goalscorers in international.

Ronaldo is the first European footballer to score 100 or more international goals. He is also the all-time leading active international goalscorer. Messi isn’t far behind and has already netted over 100 goals for the Argentina national team. The list of top active international goalscorers has some of the most successful strikers of this generation. Here, we take a look at the top 10 active international goalscorers.

10. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Serbia)- (58 goals)

The towering striker has been nothing short of a goal-machine for his country, plundering an astonishing 58 goals in just 91 appearances to date. Mitrovic’s predatory instincts and aerial prowess make him a nightmare for opposition defences.

Serbia’s all-time goalscorer plays for Saudi Club Al-hilal.

9. Harry Kane (England) – (68 goals)

Harry Kane continues to etch his name into the record books with his prolific scoring for the England national team. The 30-year-old striker, who captains the Three Lions and plays his club football for Bayern Munich, recently scored his 68th international goal.

8. Edin Dzeko – Bosnia-Herzegovina (65 goals)

Edin Dzeko represents Bosnia-Herzegovina in international football. The Fenerbahce forward has scored 65 goals for the national team. Furthermore, Dzeko is also the highest goalscorer in the history of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The 38-year-old still has a few years before he would consider retiring as a professional and could add more goals to his tally.

7. Luis Suarez – Uruguay (68 goals)

Luis Suarez is next on the list, having scored 68 goals for the Uruguayan national team. Despite his age, the Inter Miami striker has surprised everyone with his goal-scoring instinct and is likely to add more international goals to his tally. Suarez is also the all-time leading goalscorer for Uruguay.

Related: Who are the 10 highest international scorers of all time?

6. Neymar – Brazil (79 goals)

Neymar is hailed as one of the most gifted players in world football. The Al Hilal attacker represents Brazil on the international stage. The 32-year-old has scored 79 goals for the national team. He scored two goals at Copa America 2021 to add to his tally and take another step closer to surpassing Pele as the highest goalscorer.

Neymar will be looking to revive his career at Saudi club Al-Hilal. He was one of the biggest names to join the Saudi club in 2023.

5. Robert Lewandowski – Poland (84 goals)

Poland’s Robert Lewandowski is next up on the list with 84 goals to his name. The Barcelona Striker has played 150 matches for the national team. He is the all-time leading goalscorer for Poland. The 35-year-old scored three goals at Euro 2020 to increase his goal tally for Poland.

Robert Lewandowski is enjoying his time at Spanish club Barcelona. The Polish striker won the La Liga in his first season at the club.

4. Romelu Lukaku – Belgium (85 goals)

Romelu Lukaku is one of the most lethal goalscorers in international football. The Belgian forward has scored 85 goals for the Red Devils in merely 115 appearances. The Inter Milan striker was Belgium’s top scorer at Euro 2020 with four goals to his name. One can expect Lukaku to rise further in these rankings with time.

Lukaku played under Jose Mourinho at Roma in the 2023-24 season.

3. Ali Mabkhout – UAE (85 goals)

Ali Mabkhout is one of the two Asian players in the top 10 highest active goalscorers in international football. The veteran striker has scored 85 goals for the United Arab Emirates in merely 114 games. The 33-year-old will continue to feature in the future for the national team and will most likely add more strikes to his tally.

2. Lionel Messi – Argentina (112 goals)

Lionel Messi has scored 112 goals for Argentina on the international circuit. However, his international goalscoring feats do not hold a candle to his form in club football. Having said that, Messi is still one of the leading active goalscorers and World Cup winner with Argentina.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner was the top goalscorer in Copa America 2021 with four goals and captained his nation to their first major title in 28 years. Messi won the Golden Boot and was named the Player of the Tournament after leading La Albiceleste to the trophy.

Lionel Messi also added the World Cup title to his name in 2022. He went on to score seven goals in the tournament. Recently, he helped his nation clinch the 2024 Copa America title as well.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal (135 goals)

Cristiano Ronaldo is the leading active goalscorer in international football and football history. The Portuguese is the only active player to score more than a century of goals. He has 135 strikes for Portugal. Ronaldo will continue to lead the team in upcoming major tournaments despite heading towards the final stages of his career. The Portuguese is also the highest goal scorer in the history of the UEFA European Championships.

Ronaldo currently plays for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. The 39-year-old has still got the legs to play more football in his career. He is hoping to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which might be his last international tournament.

**The article was last updated on 16 November 2024.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.