Top five players with most goal involvements in international football in 21st century

Cristiano Ronaldo finally has some competition.

Representing their country is a dream for every football player. Even donning the national team’s jersey is a matter of pride for players. However, the feeling of seeing your name on the scoresheet for your country remains special.

International football games are not played as frequently as club football which makes scoring and providing assists to your teammates for your national team even more special. Some players have performed for their national teams at such a high level that they have written their names in the history books. We remember the all-time greats like Pele and Maradona primarily for their international exploits.

Similarly, some modern players have also made their country proud with their brilliant performances and will be remembered as some of the greats of their respective nations. Goals and assists define the quality of footballers in modern times. Today we will take a look at the top five players with the most goal involvements in international football in the 21st century.

5. Luis Suarez – 108 Goal involvements (69 goals, 39 assists)

Arguably one of the greatest strikers of our generation, Luis Suarez comes at No. 5. He retired from international football last month and has left an unmatched legacy in international football. Suarez represented the Uruguayan national team for more than 14 years and played 143 games.

He scored 69 goals for his national team and is currently the highest goalscorer in Uruguay’s entire history. He also gave a perfect pass to his teammates for a goal on 39 occasions. He shined the brightest for his country during the 2011 Copa America.

He contributed massively to Uruguay’s 15th Copa America victory and was named the MVP of the tournament. Apart from some controversies, his International career is near perfect and Suarez will be remembered as one of the greatest Uruguayan strikers of all time.

Also Read: Top 10 highest goalscorers in the history of football

4. Robert Lewandowski – 118 Goal involvements (83 goals, 35 assists)

Robert Lewandowski made his debut for Poland in 2008. He came off the bench and scored in Poland’s 2-0 win over San Marino. That was the start of Lewandowski’s journey with the national team. He is still going strong even at the age of 36.

He has represented his nation for 155 matches and is currently the all-time top goalscorer for his country with 83 goals. He has also registered 35 assists to his name. Although he does not have any silverware to show for his national team, he will be regarded as arguably the greatest Polish player of all time.

Also Read: Top 13 highest international scorers of all time

3. Neymar Jr – 138 Goal involvements (79 goals, 59 assists)

The privilege of calling yourself the all-time top scorer of a country that has produced greats like Pelé, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Ramário, and Rivaldo is not bestowed upon everyone. But Neymar has claimed that title with his dedication and hard work. Neymar made his debut for the Brazilian national team back in 2010 and has been an integral part of the Seleção ever since.

Under his leadership, Brazil won the 2013 Confederations Cup beating Spain in the final. He was also recognized as the best player in that tournament. He then captained his team in the 2016 Summer Olympics and brought home Brazil’s first gold medal in men’s football. Despite suffering shattering heartbreak in the 2021 Copa America and 2022 FIFA World Cup, Neymar is fully committed to his national team and will possibly lead the Seleção in the next World Cup (2026).

Also Read: Top 10 players with most assists in international football history

2. Cristiano Ronaldo – 169 Goal involvements (133 goals, 36 assists)

Along with being the highest goalscorer in Portugal’s history, Cristiano Ronaldo is also the all-time top scorer of international football. He has netted 133 goals in 216 appearances for his national team. He has also assisted his teammates 36 times during his historic international career.

Ronaldo played a crucial part in Portugal’s 2016 UEFA Euros triumph which was also the first-ever major trophy in Portugal’s entire history. He then led his country to another title, this time the 2019 Nations League. He has managed to score a hat-trick in the semi-finals.

His consistency and longevity are unmatched and we still see him scoring goals for his nation even at the age of 39. Ronaldo is planning to represent his nation in the 2026 World Cup as well. All the footballing fans will be hoping that we can see this Portuguese great leading his nation one more time.

1. Lionel Messi – 169 Goal involvements (112 goals, 57 assists)

The international career of Lionel Messi can only be described by one word, Cinema. In his early career with La Albiceleste, Lionel Messi usually failed to replicate the same brilliance he displayed for his club, FC Barcelona. He was consistently one of the best performers on the team but the lack of silverware got him a lot of criticism.

That all changed in 2021, when under Lionel Scaloni Argentina won the Copa America for the first time since 1993. Lionel Messi was on a mission during that campaign and won the top scorer and the best player of the tournament. Then in 2022, Messi fulfilled his destiny and was crowned the World Champion. He has scored 112 goals and has provided 57 assists for Argentina in 188 games.

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