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.

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 118, becoming the first player to score in five World Cups with his goal against Ghana.

Top five all-time international goalscorers

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)* – 118 in 196 appearances
2. Ali Daei (Iran) – 109 goals in 148
3. Lionel Messi (Argentina)* – 98 in 172
4. Mokhtar Dahari (Malaysia) – 89 in 142
5. Ferenc Puskás (Hungary & Spain) – 84 in 89
5. Sunil Chhetri (India)* – 84 in 131

Europe's all-time top international goalscorers

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)* – 118 goals in 196 appearances
Ferenc Puskás (Hungary & Spain) – 84 in 89
Robert Lewandowski (Poland)* – 78 in 138
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
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)* – 68 in 104
Edin Džeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina)* – 64 in 126
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden)* – 62 in 121
Imre Schlosser (Hungary) – 59 in 68
David Villa (Spain) – 59 in 98
Jan Koller (Czech Republic) – 55 in 91
Joachim Streich (East Germany) – 55 in 102
Harry Kane (England)* – 53 in 80
Olivier Giroud (France)* – 53 in 120
Wayne Rooney (England) – 53 in 120
Poul Nielsen (Denmark) – 52 in 38
Aleksandar Mitrović (Serbia)* – 52 in 79
Jon Dahl Tomasson (Denmark) – 52 in 112
Thierry Henry (France) – 51 in 123
Hakan Sükür (Türkiye) – 51 in 112
Lajos Tichy (Hungary) – 51 in 72
Robin van Persie (Netherlands) – 50 in 102

*still active

How Ronaldo's international goals have come

Home or away?

Fifty-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), 33 away and 29 on neutral territory.

Win, lose or draw?

Ronaldo has scored in 77 games, with Portugal going on to win 64 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 19 doubles, with the remaining 48 goals coming in single file.

Favourite opponents

9 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
31 EURO qualifying
36 World Cup qualifying
2 Confederations Cup
20 Friendlies

Cristiano Ronaldo key records

All-time top scorer in international matches: 118
Top scorer in EURO qualifying and tournaments: 45
Top scorer in EURO final tournaments: 14
Scored in most EURO final tournaments: 5
Most goals by a European in competitive internationals: 97
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 18 December 2022