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500 goals for a club! It is a staggering number, considering the amount of time, effort and games it might take a footballer to reach there. It is even more astonishing in modern day football, given the kind of money, loyalty, and expectations.
These strikers have ruled the game for years and we only have a solitary player on this list, whom we have seen playing. Cristiano Ronaldo may eventually reach the milestone if he stays fit at Real Madrid for a couple of more years.
There is no definite answer to who are the greatest footballers of all-time, but, everyone on this list will definitely be a part of that answer. There are quite a few players who have scored more than 500 goals for a single club and here in this article, we will see the top 5.
#5 Gerd Muller (Bayern Munich, 525 goals)
Arguably the greatest footballer from Europe, Muller is one of the main reasons why Bayern Munich are the footballing power they are now. 1970 Ballon d'Or winner has led Germany to the FIFA World Cup success in 1974.
The German was a part of the Bayern Munich side that lifted four Bundesliga titles, four DFB-Pokal, and three European Cup. The two times German Footballer of the Year was the top scorer in Bundesliga on seven occasions.
Muller was considerably short and his low center of gravity allowed him to turn quickly at speed and with perfect balance. His pace, acceleration, and aerial prowess made him a difficult player to defend against.
Gerd Muller has scored 525 goals for Bayern Munich from 573 games. His unerring finishing ability and killer instincts in front of goal made him one of the greatest strikers in world football.
#4 Lionel Messi (Barcelona, 529 goals)
The most famous and familiar name on this list. Any article of this kind will definitely have his name on it. Regarded by many as one of the greatest footballers of all time, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is a phenomenon in world football right now.
The Argentine broke the record of Gerd Muller not less than two weeks ago. Lionel Messi currently has scored 529 goals for the Catalan giants in 610 appearances. A prolific goal scorer for over a decade, Messi is known for his attacking runs, finishing, close control in tight areas, quick reactions, and ability to influence the game.
One of the most technically gifted players of the game, Messi possesses great vision and his passing is simply phenomenal. He has won almost every possible honors in world football, including 8 La Liga titles and 4 UEFA Champions League titles.
He is only 30 and has a long way to go before he hangs up his boots. Though he may not be the greatest footballer of all-time right now, one can confidently say Messi will finish as one.
Some of the famous quotes on Messi:
"I like Messi a lot, he’s a great player. Technically, we’re practically at the same level." - Pele
"I was a big fan of Maradona growing up and of the current crop [Cristiano] Ronaldo is good but Messi is the best I’ve ever seen. I don’t dish out praise lightly but Messi deserves it. I look for weaknesses in his game and I can’t find them." - Roy Keane
"I wear the number 10 Jersey for the US National Team in honor of the Greatest athlete I have ever seen: Messi." - Kobe Bryant
#3 Josef Bican (Slavia Prague, 534 goals)
At least 90% of the readers will be hearing his name of for the first time. They cannot be blamed for it because the Austria/Czechoslovakia striker played the game almost a century ago and passed away in 2001.
Born in Vienna, the tall striker was a revelation in football ever since his move Slavia Prague in 1937. He played the game from 1928 to 1955 and scored a whopping tally of 1468 goals in 918 matches.
According to Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF), Bican is the top professional goalscorer, with 805 goals in 530 matches (excluding reserve and friendly matches). He scored 534 goals in 11 years at Slavia Prague.
Though his career was disrupted by two World Wars, his goalscoring record is much better than Pele's because of his tremendous goal-to-game ratio (1.52 goals per game).
In 2001, The International Federation of Football Historians and Statisticians (IFFSH ) awarded Bican the "Golden Ball" as the greatest goalscorer of the last century. Remember the name - Josef Bican.
#2 Fernando Peyroteo (Sporting CP, 544 goals)
Think you all know who Portugal’s greatest ever footballer is? it's neither Ronaldo nor Eusebio. The forgotten man of Portuguese football is arguably the most prolific goal scorers on this list. He was never given the credit he deserved and was rarely mentioned alongside the likes of Eusebio, Luis Figo, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Sporting CP legend has played 12 seasons of professional football and scored 544 goals in 334 appearances. His goals per game ratio stand at an astonishing 1.58, highest of anyone on this list. In the Primeira Liga (Portugal's top-flight league), he has scored 330 goals in 197 games, at an average of 1.68 goals per game.
He scored 9 goals in a single game against Leca in 1942, which is still a record in Portugal’s top competition. With 5 Primeira Liga titles, he retired at the age of 31.
#1 Pele (Santos, 643 goals)
The three-time World Cup winner is regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all-time and one of the most lauded players in history.
The Brazilian legend has scored 1281 goals in 1,363 career games(reported by FIFA, for club and country, including friendlies). Pele has a World record number of hat-tricks (92). His official goals stand at 643 from 656 appearances for Santos. He is the youngest player to play in a FIFA World Cup and also the youngest winner of a FIFA World Cup (1958).
Prolific with either foot, Pele is often known for his vision, intelligence, balance, flair, and dribbling skills. The Brazilian was known for his signature moves, drible da vaca, and paradinha.
Even though he is 5? 8?, Pele is excellent in the air, has quick feet, accurate with his striking, and possesses brilliant technical skills. The Brazilian has no shortage of admirers during his playing days.
Barcelona and Dutch legend Johan Cruyff once stated; "Pele was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic."
Former Manchester United legend and World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton once stated; "I sometimes feel as though football was invented for this magical player."
