Progression of association football goalscoring record

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This is a progressive list of men's association footballers who have held or co-held the world record for international goals, beginning with William Kenyon-Slaney, who played in England's second international scoring two goals.

Criteria[edit]

The criteria used by national FAs in considering a match as a full international were not historically fixed. Particularly for the early decades, and until more recently for FAs outside UEFA and CONMEBOL, counts of goals were often considered unreliable. RSSSF and IFFHS have spent much effort trying to produce definitive lists of full international matches, and corresponding data on players' international caps and goals. Using this data, the following records can be retrospectively produced. Note that, at the time, these records may not have been recognised.

One point of note is that early matches by the England Amateur side were played against the full national side of opponents. These matches are counted as full internationals by the IFFHS and the opposing FAs, though not by the (English) FA. This affects Vivian Woodward, who scored 29 full goals and 44 amateur goals; the IFFHS and RSSSF considers him as the record-holder from 1908.

World record[edit]

Player Country Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Notes
William Kenyon-Slaney  England 2 1873-03-08 Kennington Oval  Scotland 4–2 [1]
Henry McNeil  Scotland 2 1876-03-04 Hamilton Crescent  England 3–0 [1][2]
Henry McNeil  Scotland 3 1876-03-25 Hamilton Crescent  Wales 4–0 [1][2]
John Ferguson  Scotland 3 1877-03-03 Kennington Oval  England 3–1 [2]
Henry McNeil  Scotland 5 1878-03-02 Hampden Park  England 7–2 [1][2]
John Ferguson  Scotland 5 1878-03-23 Hampden Park  Wales 9–0 [1][2]
Billy MacKinnon  Scotland 5 1879-04-05 The Oval  England 4–5 [1][2]
John Smith  Scotland 6 1881-03-12 The Oval  England 6–1 [1][2]
George Ker  Scotland 7 1881-03-14 Racecourse Ground  Wales 5–1 [1][2]
George Ker  Scotland 9 1882-03-11 Hampden Park  England 5–1 [1][2]
George Ker  Scotland 10 1882-03-25 Hampden Park  Wales 5–0 [1][2]
John Smith  Scotland 10 1884-03-15 1st Cathkin Park  England 1–0 [1][2]
Charles Bambridge  England 10 1885-02-28  Ireland 4–0 [1]
Charles Bambridge  England 11 1885-03-21  Scotland 1–1 [1]
Tinsley Lindley  England 11 1888-04-07  Ireland 5–1 [1]
Fred Dewhurst  England 11 1888-02-23  Wales 4–1 [1]
Tinsley Lindley  England 12 1890-02-23  Wales 3–1 [1]
Tinsley Lindley  England 14 1891-03-07  Ireland 6–1 [1]
Steve Bloomer  England 15 1899-04-02  Scotland 3–1 [1]
Steve Bloomer  England 17 1899-02-19  Ireland 13–2 [1]
Steve Bloomer  England 19 1899-03-20  Wales 4–0 [1]
Steve Bloomer  England 20 1900-04-07  Scotland 1–4 [1]
Steve Bloomer  England 24 1901-03-18  Wales 6–0 [1]
Steve Bloomer  England 25 1901-03-30  Scotland 2–2 [1]
Steve Bloomer  England 26 1904-04-09  Scotland 1–0 [1]
Steve Bloomer  England 27 1905-02-25  Ireland 1–1 [1]
Steve Bloomer  England 28 1907-04-06  Scotland 1–1 [1]
Vivian Woodward  England 31 1908-06-08  Austria 11–1 Woodward scored four times in this match to overtake Bloomer.[3]
Vivian Woodward  England 32 1908-06-10  Hungary 7–0 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 34 1908-10-20  Sweden 12–1 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 35 1908-10-24  Denmark 2–0 [3]
Vivian Woodward  England 37 1909-02-13  Ireland 4–0 Woodward scored twice in this match.[3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 39 1909-04-17  Belgium 11–2 Woodward scored twice in this match.[3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 43 1909-05-20   Switzerland 9–0 Woodward scored four times in this match.[3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 44 1909-05-22  France 11–0 [3]
Vivian Woodward  England 46 1909-05-29  Hungary 4–2 Woodward scored twice in this match.[3]
Vivian Woodward  England 50 1909-05-31  Hungary 8–2 Woodward scored four times in this match.[3]
Vivian Woodward  England 53 1909-06-01  Austria 8–1 Woodward scored three times in this match.[3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 54 1909-11-06  Sweden 7–0 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 60 1909-12-11  Netherlands 9–1 Woodward scored six times in this match.[3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 61 1911-03-04  Belgium 4–0 [3]
Vivian Woodward  England 63 1911-03-13  Wales 3–0 Woodward scored twice in this match.[3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 64 1911-05-25   Switzerland 4–1 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 65 1912-03-16  Netherlands 4–0 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 66 1912-06-30  Hungary 7–0 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 68 1912-11-09  Belgium 4–0 Woodward scored twice in this match.[3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 69 1913-03-21  Germany 3–0 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 70 1913-03-24  Netherlands 1–2 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 71 1913-11-15  Netherlands 2–1 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 72 1914-02-24  Belgium 8–1 [3]
Vivian Woodward England England Amateurs 73 1914-06-10  Sweden 5–1 [3]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 73 1955-05-19  Finland 9–1 [4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 75 1955-09-17   Switzerland 5–4 Puskás scored twice in this match.[4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 76 1955-09-25  Czechoslovakia 3–1 [4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 77 1955-10-16  Austria 6–1 [4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 78 1955-11-13  Sweden 4–2 [4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 79 1955-11-27  Italy 2–0 [4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 80 1956-02-19  Turkey 1–3 [4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 81 1956-02-29  Lebanon 4–1 [4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 82 1956-06-03  Belgium 4–5 [4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 83 1956-09-16  Yugoslavia 3–1 [4]
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 84 1956-10-14  Austria 2–0 [4]
Mokhtar Dahari  Malaysia 84 1981-04-05  Singapore 1–1 [5]
Mokhtar Dahari  Malaysia 85 1981-09-09  Indonesia 2–0 [5]
Mokhtar Dahari  Malaysia 86 1981-09-15  India 2–2 [5]
Ali Daei  Iran 86 2003-12-02  Kuwait 1–3 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 87 2004-02-18  Qatar 3–1 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 89 2004-03-31  Laos 7–0 Daei scored twice in this match.[6]
Ali Daei  Iran 92 2004-06-17  Lebanon 4–0 Daei scored three times in this match.[6]
Ali Daei  Iran 93 2004-06-21  Syria 7–1 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 94 2004-06-25  Syria 4–1 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 95 2004-07-20  Thailand 3–0 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 97 2004-08-06  Bahrain 4–2 Daei scored twice in this match.[6]
Ali Daei  Iran 98 2004-09-08  Jordan 2–0 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 102 2004-11-17  Laos 7–0 Daei scored four times in this match.[6]
Ali Daei  Iran 103 2004-12-18  Panama 1–0 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 104 2005-02-02  Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–1 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 105 2005-08-17  Japan 1–2 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 106 2005-08-24  Libya 4–0 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 107 2005-11-13  Togo 2–0 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 108 2006-02-22  Chinese Taipei 4–0 [6]
Ali Daei  Iran 109 2006-03-01  Costa Rica 3–2 [6]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 109 2021-06-23 Puskás Aréna  France 2–2 Ronaldo scored twice in this match to equal Daei.[7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 111 2021-09-01 Estádio Algarve  Republic of Ireland 2–1 Ronaldo scored twice in this match.[7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 112 2021-10-09 Estádio Algarve  Qatar 1–0 [7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 115 2021-10-12 Estádio Algarve  Luxembourg 5–0 Ronaldo scored three times in this match.[7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 117 2022-06-05 Estádio José Alvalade   Switzerland 4–0 Ronaldo scored twice in this match.[7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 118 2022-11-24 Stadium 974  Ghana 3–2 [7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 120 2023-03-23 Estádio José Alvalade  Liechtenstein 4–0 Ronaldo scored twice in this match.[7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 122 2023-03-26 Stade de Luxembourg  Luxembourg 6–0 Ronaldo scored twice in this match.[7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 123 2023-06-20 Laugardalsvöllur  Iceland 0–1 [7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 125 2023-10-13 Estádio do Dragão  Slovakia 3–2 Ronaldo scored twice in this match.[7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 127 2023-10-16 Bilino Polje  Bosnia and Herzegovina 0–5 Ronaldo scored twice in this match.[7]
Cristiano Ronaldo  Portugal 128 2023-11-16 Rheinpark Stadion  Liechtenstein 0–2 [7]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics)". IFFHS.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Scotland - International Matches 1872-1880". RSSSF.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Vivian John Woodward – International Appearances RSSSF
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Ferenc Puskás – Goals in International Matches RSSSF
  5. ^ a b c Mohamed Mokhtar Dahari – Century of International Appearances RSSSF
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Ali Daei – Century of International Appearances RSSSF
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro – Century of International Appearances RSSSF