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Football is, by far, the most popular sport in the world. The game has been around for centuries and is currently played by over 250 million people from more than 200 countries around the world.
Naturally, the sport has seen some of the highest goal scorers in football over the years, with many of them etching their names in history books because of their feats and achievements.
Since football matches are decided in terms of goals, the ability to consistently score them is understandably admired and worshipped, making goalscorers celebrated figures.
Now, different sources cite different statistics. For example, according to the Guinness world record, Pele is the highest goalscorer in football with a staggering tally of 1,281 goals. However, this figure also includes unofficial goals scored by the Brazilian legend.
This list, on the other hand, has been compiled based on the records from Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF), which only recognises goals scored in official matches - meaning that contrary to Guinness' records, Pele isn't number 1 on this list.
On that note, here is a look at the top 10 footballers who have scored the most goals in football history.
Note: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still actively playing and score goals more often than not. As a result, depending on when you're reading this, some numbers may vary.
10. Tulio Maravilha (Brazil) - 575 career goals (tied)
Brazilian star, Tulio, better known as Tulio Maravilha (Wonder Tulio), was an exquisite striker. Throughout his career, he played for more than 25 different clubs. Most of his clubs were in different Brazilian divisions and became the league's top scorer in 3 different league seasons.
Apart from Brazilian clubs, he played for Swiss side Sion (1992-1993), and Hungarian outfit Ujpest (2002). He also represented the Brazilian National Team 15 times and scored 13 goals, never losing a game for the country.
During a glittering career that spanned 24 years, Tulio officially scored a total of 575 career goals. However, he is confident he crossed the 1000-goal mark in 2014 but that tally includes goals in amateur games as well as friendlies.
9. Uwe Seeler (Germany) - 575 career goals (tied)
Born and brought up in Hamburg, Germany, Uwe Seeler went on to play for Hamburg for 18 seasons (1954-72), eventually becoming a one-club legend. He is also widely regarded as one of the greatest German players of all time.
Seeler was a prolific striker and also represented the Germany between 1954 and 1970, winning the FIFA World Cup twice in 1966 and 1970. He also finished 3rd in the 1960 edition of the Ballon d'Or.
By the end of his career, he had scored an official total of 575 career goals.
8. Ferenc Deak (Hungary) - 576 career goals
Ferenc Deak was born in Budapest, Hungary and went on to spend his entire playing career at a plethora of Hungarian clubs.
He began his senior career with Szentlőrinci AC, before playing for clubs like Ferencvárosi TC, Ujpest, and Spartacus Budapest among others.
Deak also represented the Hungarian national team between 1946 and 1949, making 20 appearances for his country.
A glittering career spanning 17 years saw him score an official total of 576 goals.
7. Lionel Messi (Argentina) - 697 career goals
A product of Barcelona's famed youth academy, La Masia, Lionel Messi is one of two spectacularly phenomenal footballers of the current generation. A six-time Ballon d'Or winner, Messi has been a one-club man so far, currently playing his 16th season for Barcelona.
Messi has also represented the Argentinian senior team since 2005 and is currently their highest goalscorer of all time.
The diminutive wizard has officially scored 697 goals for club and country so far and is still going strong in the grandest stage. Aged just 32 and considering the form he's still in, Messi is bound to score plenty more before he hangs up his boots.
6. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - 725 career goals
The other of two spectacularly phenomenal footballers of the current generation, the Portuguese sensation, Cristiano Ronaldo, has won 5 Ballons d'Or awards. Ronaldo first shot to fame during his time at Manchester United, before moving to Real Madrid for a then world-record fee.
At Real Madrid, Ronaldo became one of the best footballers of all time, winning 15 major trophies in 9 seasons, including the historic feat of winning three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles.
Ronaldo completed a move to Juventus in 2018 and won the Italian Serie A in his first season at the club, where he continues his stunning goalscoring exploits.
An iconic figure, Ronaldo is a Portuguese international and helped them win Euro 2016. In all, Ronaldo has officially scored a total of 725 goals from club and country and is one of the highest goal scorers in football history.
5. Gerd Muller (Germany) - 735 career goals
Known for his clinical finishing, Gerd Muller is widely recognised as one of the best strikers and goal scorers of all time. The German striker spent the better parts of his career in Germany, playing for 1861 Nördlingen and Bayern Munich, before moving to North American Soccer League (NASL) side Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
Muller plied his trade with Bayern Munich for 15 seasons, claiming record after record. To date, he remains Bayern's top goalscorer of all time. He also represented West Germany between 1966 and 1974, helping them win the European Championship in 1972 and the FIFA World Cup in 1974.
Throughout his successful 18-year career, Gerd Muller officially scored a total of 735 career goals in 793 matches at a rate of 0.93 goals per games.
4. Ferenc Puskas (Hungary) - 746 career goals
Ferenc Puskas continues to be known as one of the best goal scorers of all time. He only ever played for two clubs in his career - Hungarian side Budapest Honvéd (1943-55), and Spanish giants Real Madrid (1958-66).
A prolific striker, Puskas was considered a crucial figure in the intimidating Hungarian national team. Scoring 84 goals in 85 games for Hungary, he was an important part of the 'Golden Team' that once went on an unbeaten 32-game streak, winning the 1952 Olympics along the way.
At Real Madrid, he won 10 major trophies in 8 years. By the end of his career, Puskas had officially scored an astonishing total of 746 career goals in 754 matches at a stunning rate of 0.99 goals per game.
Puskas is Hungary's highest goal scorer in football and the award for the best goal scored in a calendar year is named after him.
3. Pelé (Brazil) - 767 career goals
Santos and Brazilian legend, Pelé, stakes one of the biggest claims to be known as the greatest footballer of all time. He began his senior career in 1956 with Santos and eventually stayed there for 18 seasons before moving to the NALS to play for New York Cosmos alongside German legend, Franz Beckenbauer.
At Santos, Pelé made a vast number of records his own - many of which still belong to him. He has made the most appearances and scored the most goals for the club.
Pelé also represented the Brazilian national team for 14 years (1957-1971), winning 3 FIFA World Cup trophies (1958, 1962, 1970) with the Selecao.
Contrary to Guinness' records that state he scored 1,271 goals by the end of his breathtaking career, Pelé officially scored 767 career goals in 831 matches.
2. Romário (Brazil) - 772 career goals
Romário was one of the most clinical strikers the world of football has ever seen. He began his career with Vasco da Gama in 1985, before moving to PSV Eindhoven for his longest stint that lasted five years.
He then became a journeyman, playing for a host of different Brazilian clubs as well as some non-Brazilian ones, including Barcelona, Valencia and Miami FC.
Romário played for Brazil between 1987 and 2005, winning the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Over a lengthy career that spanned 24 years, the Brazilian striker officially scored 772 career goals in 994 matches.
1. Josef Bican (Czech Republic - Austria) - 805 career goals
Josef Bican is the highest goal scorer in football history, with 805 goals in 530 matches for club and country at a jaw-dropping rate of 1.52 goals per game. Perhaps the most clinical striker the world has ever seen, Bican was a member of the Austrian Wunderteam in the 1930s.
At club level, Bican was the top scorer across Europe's various leagues on five different occasions. Known to be two-footed, Bican represented multiple Austrian clubs, before plying his trade with several Czech clubs including Dynamo Prague.
He also played for three different Nations - Austria (1933-36), Czech Republic (1938-49), and Bohemia and Moravia in 1939. While he is believed to have scored approximately 1470 goals throughout his career, this figure is said to include goals in unofficial matches.
At the end of a mammoth 27-year career, Bican retired in 1955 as the most decorated goalscorer in the history of the beautiful game.
