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#3 Zlatan Ibrahimovich (732) - 501 goals and 201 assists
Zlatan Ibrahimovich, one of only four players this century to have made over 200 assists for club and country, is still going strong at the ripe old age of 39.
At an age when many strikers are a few years into their retirements, the evergreen Swede is into his second stint with AC Milan and has begun the new season with a brace in his ninth season of Serie A football.
The prolific striker, who is renowned for his finishing abiity, aerial prowess, ball-control, versatility and playmaking prowess, is also a dead-ball specialist
Ibrahimovich has scored league goals in seven different countries and has won 11 league titles in four different countries, most recently doing so with Paris St. Germain in 2015-16. Although he has won the Europa League (with Manchester United in 2016-17), a Champions League title is conspicuous by its absence - something he may like to change before deciding to hang up his boots.
Last season, the lanky Swedish striker became the first player in history to score 50 goals for both Milan clubs - AC Milan (54) and Inter Milan (57).
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (988) - 742 goals and 246 assists
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.
After making his professional debut with Sporting Lisbon in his native Portugal, Ronaldo inherited the iconic number 7 jersey at Manchester United and has never looked back.
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-5 leagues in Europe.
Ronaldo, who was renowned for his stepovers, started out on the flanks before transitioning more towards the centre, a move that has yielded rich dividends for club and country. The player's goal-assisting ability may have dwindled in recent times, but his aerial prowess and goal-scoring ability off either foot remain second to none.
The 35-year-old Juventus striker is the only player to score in four different European Championships and the only European player (second overall) to score 100 international goals.
#1 Lionel Messi (1031) - 705 goals and 326 assists
Along with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi is the only player to have scored over 700 goals for club and country since the turn of the millenium. However, Messi is the only one to tally over 1000 goal involvements in the 21st century.
Messi, who is one of the last vestiges of the true one-club era, is the La Liga's all-time top-scorer and assist-provider. However, his record 21 assists during a 'below-par' season, one in which he scored 'only' 25 league goals, couldn't help Barcelona to their third consecutive La Liga triumph.
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 Barcelona and Argentina captain has scored the most Champions League goals for a single club (115 for Barcelona) and has won the most La Liga titles (10) and Ballon d'Or awards (6) by any player in history.
You may also like: Ten records Lionel Messi created last season.
