Europe's top international scorers: Cristiano Ronaldo out in front

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first European to reach 100 international goals in autumn 2020 – and is now well out in front as both Europe's and the world's all-time leading scorer, marking his 200th Portugal appearance with an 89th-minute winner in Iceland on 20 June 2023 before rubber-stamping his side's place at UEFA EURO 2024 with two goals against Slovakia on 13 October 2023.

Ronaldo overtook Ferenc Puskás's European record of 84 national-team goals while starring for Portugal at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He achieved his century with a free-kick against Sweden in Solna on 8 September 2020.

• Cristiano Ronaldo's international goals – who, where, when?
• Ronaldo's UEFA Champions League goals and records

By then scoring twice at the climax of Portugal's European Qualifier with the Republic of Ireland on 1 September 2021, he established a new world record for international goals – overtaking the mark of previous record holder and ex-Iran forward Ali Daei.

Ronaldo has since taken his total to 135, becoming the first player to score in five World Cups with his goal against Ghana at the 2022 edition, and finding the net against a 48th national team with his late winner against Scotland on Matchday 2 of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League.

Top five all-time international goalscorers

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)* – 135 in 217 appearances
2. Lionel Messi (Argentina)* – 112 in 191
3. Ali Daei (Iran) – 108 goals in 148
4. Sunil Chhetri (India) – 94 in 151
5. Mokhtar Dahari (Malaysia) – 89 in 142

Europe's all-time top international goalscorers

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)* – 135 goals in 217 appearances
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)* – 85 in 120
Ferenc Puskás (Hungary & Spain) – 84 in 89
Robert Lewandowski (Poland)* – 84 in 156
Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) – 75 in 68
Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 71 in 137
Harry Kane (England)* – 69 in 103
Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 68 in 62
Robbie Keane (Republic of Ireland) – 68 in 146
Edin Džeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina)* – 67 in 139
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden) – 62 in 122
Imre Schlosser (Hungary) – 59 in 68
Aleksandar Mitrović (Serbia)* – 59 in 98
David Villa (Spain) – 59 in 98
Olivier Giroud (France) – 57 in 137
Jan Koller (Czech Republic) – 55 in 91
Joachim Streich (East Germany) – 55 in 102
Wayne Rooney (England) – 53 in 120
Poul Nielsen (Denmark) – 52 in 38
Jon Dahl Tomasson (Denmark) – 52 in 112
Lajos Tichy (Hungary) – 51 in 72
Hakan Sükür (Türkiye) – 51 in 112
Thierry Henry (France) – 51 in 123
Robin van Persie (Netherlands) – 50 in 102

*still active

How Ronaldo's international goals have come

Home or away?

Sixty-six of Ronaldo's strikes have come at home (including the five he scored at UEFA EURO 2004 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League finals in Portugal), 40 away and 29 on neutral territory.

Win, lose or draw?

Ronaldo has scored in 88 games, with Portugal going on to win 75 of them. They have drawn six and lost seven.

One, two, three, four...

Ronaldo has hit ten hat-tricks, including two four-goal salvos. There have been 25 doubles, with the remaining 53 goals coming in single file.

Favourite opponents

11 Luxembourg
7 Lithuania, Sweden
6 Andorra, Hungary
5 Armenia, Latvia, Switzerland

At UEFA EURO 2020, Ronaldo opened his accounts against Germany and France but he has never registered against Italy or England.

Goals by competition

14 EURO finals
8 World Cup finals
12 Nations League
41 EURO qualifying
36 World Cup qualifying
2 Confederations Cup
22 Friendlies

Cristiano Ronaldo key records

All-time top scorer in international matches: 135
Top scorer in EURO qualifying and tournaments: 55
Top scorer in EURO final tournaments: 14
Scored in most EURO final tournaments: 5
Most goals by a European in competitive internationals: 112
Most goals scored in European World Cup qualifying: 36
Scored in most World Cup final tournaments: 5
First goal in Nations League Finals: vs Switzerland (semi-finals, 05/06/2019, Porto) – and first hat-trick

Data correct as of 19 November 2024