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 in UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying on 20 June.

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 netting twice at the climax of Portugal's European Qualifier with Republic of Ireland on 1 September 2021, he established a new world record for international goals – having been sat on 109 together with previous record-holder and ex-Iran forward Ali Daei since UEFA EURO 2020.

Ronaldo has since taken his total to 123, becoming the first player to score in five World Cups with his goal against Ghana and finding the net against a 47th nation with his double against Liechtenstein on the opening night of UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying.

Top five all-time international goalscorers

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)* – 123 in 201 appearances
2. Ali Daei (Iran) – 109 goals in 148
3. Lionel Messi (Argentina)* – 104 in 176
4. Sunil Chhetri (India)* – 92 in 142
5. Mokhtar Dahari (Malaysia) – 89 in 142

Europe's all-time top international goalscorers

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)* – 123 goals in 201 appearances
Ferenc Puskás (Hungary & Spain) – 84 in 89
Robert Lewandowski (Poland)* – 81 in 144
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)* – 77 in 110
Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) – 75 in 68
Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 71 in 137
Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 68 in 62
Robbie Keane (Republic of Ireland) – 68 in 146
Edin Džeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina)* – 65 in 131
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden) – 62 in 122
Imre Schlosser (Hungary) – 59 in 68
Harry Kane (England)* – 59 in 86
David Villa (Spain) – 59 in 98
Aleksandar Mitrović (Serbia)* – 55 in 83
Jan Koller (Czech Republic) – 55 in 91
Joachim Streich (East Germany) – 55 in 102
Olivier Giroud (France)* – 54 in 125
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?

Fifty-eight 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), 36 away and 29 on neutral territory.

Win, lose or draw?

Ronaldo has scored in 80 games, with Portugal going on to win 67 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 21 doubles, with the remaining 49 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
7 Nations League
36 EURO qualifying
36 World Cup qualifying
2 Confederations Cup
20 Friendlies

Cristiano Ronaldo key records

All-time top scorer in international matches: 123
Top scorer in EURO qualifying and tournaments: 50
Top scorer in EURO final tournaments: 14
Scored in most EURO final tournaments: 5
Most goals by a European in competitive internationals: 103
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 12 September 2023