IFFHS World's Best Top Goal Scorer explained

IFFHS World's Best Man Top Goal Scorer
Sport:Association football
Givenfor:Best goal scorer of the calendar year
Presenter:International Federation of Football History & Statistics
First:2011 (retroactive)
Number:13
Firstwinner: Cristiano Ronaldo
Mostwins: Cristiano Ronaldo
(5 awards)
Mostrecent: Cristiano Ronaldo
(5th award)

The IFFHS World's Best Top Goal Scorer is a football award given annually since 2020,[1] and retroactively for the years 2011 to 2019,[2] to the world's top goalscorer in the calendar year. The award is given by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).

All international goals and all competitive goals for clubs playing in their country's top level division scored from 1 January to 31 December are taken into consideration.

Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for most wins (5) while Lionel Messi holds the record for most goals in a calendar year (91 in 2012). Robert Lewandowski won the award with the fewest goals (47 in 2020).

Ronaldo (5), Messi (2) and Lewandowski (2) are the only players who have won the award more than once.

Ronaldo (Real Madrid & Al Nassr) is the only player to win the award with multiple clubs. Meanwhile, Al Nassr is the only club with multiple winners (Abderrazak Hamdallah in 2019 & Ronaldo in 2023).

In 2021, the IFFHS awarded the World's Best Goal Scorer of the first and second decade of the 21st century, considering the years 2001 to 2010 and 2011 to 2020.[3]

Men's winners

List of winners

YearRankPlayerClub(s)Goals
2011scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid60
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Lionel Messi FC Barcelona59
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Aleksandrs Čekulajevs Narva Trans56
2012scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Lionel Messi Barcelona91
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid63
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Neymar Santos55
2013scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid69
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Ali Ashfaq New Radiant58
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Zlatan Ibrahimović Paris Saint-Germain47
2014scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid61
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Lionel Messi Barcelona58
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Jonathan Soriano Red Bull Salzburg55
2015scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid57
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Lionel Messi Barcelona52
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Robert Lewandowski Bayern Munich49
2016scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Lionel Messi Barcelona58
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid55
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Luis Suárez Barcelona51
2017scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Harry Kane Tottenham Hotspur56
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Lionel Messi Barcelona54
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid53
2018scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Baghdad Bounedjah Al-Sadd58
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Lionel Messi Barcelona51
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid
Juventus		49
2019scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Abderrazak Hamdallah Al Nassr57
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Robert Lewandowski Bayern Munich54
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Lionel Messi Barcelona50
2020scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Robert Lewandowski Bayern Munich47
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Cristiano Ronaldo Juventus44
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Romelu Lukaku Inter Milan40
2021scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Robert Lewandowski[4] Bayern Munich69
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Kylian Mbappé Paris Saint-Germain51
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Erling Haaland Borussia Dortmund49
2022scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Kylian Mbappé[5] Paris Saint-Germain56
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Erling Haaland
Manchester City		46
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Bergson Johor Darul Ta'zim46
2023scope=col style="background-color: gold"1st Cristiano Ronaldo[6] Al Nassr54
scope=col style="background-color: silver"2nd Kylian Mbappé Paris Saint-Germain52
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966"3rd Harry Kane
Bayern Munich		52

Statistics

Winners (2011–present)!Player!Wins!Years
Cristiano Ronaldo52011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2023
Lionel Messi22012, 2016
Robert Lewandowski2020, 2021
Harry Kane12017
Baghdad Bounedjah2018
Abderrazak Hamdallah2019
Kylian Mbappé2022
Most goals in a year!Rank!Player!Year!Goals
1 Lionel Messi201291
2 Cristiano Ronaldo201369
Robert Lewandowski2021
4 Cristiano Ronaldo201263
5 Cristiano Ronaldo201461
6 Cristiano Ronaldo201160
7 Lionel Messi201159
8 Ali Ashfaq201358
Lionel Messi2014
Lionel Messi2016
Baghdad Bounedjah2018
Wins by club!Club!Total!Players
Real Madrid41
Al Nassr22
Barcelona21
Bayern Munich21
Al Sadd11
11
11
Wins by nationality!Nationality!Total!Players
51
21
21
11
11
11
11

The World's Best Top Goal Scorer of the First Decade (2001–2010)

The final list includes the 32 players who scored 200 or more goals in top-tier national leagues, national cups, continental and international competitions with both club and national teams in the period of time from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2010.

Players with at least 250 goals!Rank!Player!Nation!Club(s)!Goals for country!Goals for club(s)!Total goals
1Aleksandar Đurić Geylang United
Singapore Armed Forces
Tampines Rovers		16311327
2Washington Ponte Preta
Fenerbahçe
Athletico Paranaense
Tokyo Verdy
Urawa Red Diamonds
Fluminense
São Paulo		2281283
3Thierry Henry Arsenal
Barcelona
New York Red Bulls		43238281
4Ruud van Nistelrooy PSV Eindhoven
Manchester United
Real Madrid
Hamburger SV		33242275
5Samuel Eto'o Mallorca
Barcelona
Inter Milan		44227271
6Marc Lloyd Williams Bangor City
Southport
Aberystwyth Town
Total Network Solution
Rhyl
Newtown
Porthmadog
Airbus UK Broughton		0271271

The World's Best Top Goal Scorer of the Second Decade (2011–2020)

The final list includes the 41 players who scored 200 or more goals in top-tier national leagues, national cups, continental and international competitions with both club and national teams in the period of time from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2020.

The results were posted on the IFFHS' official website on 4 January 2021.[7]

Players with at least 200 goals!Rank!Player!Nation!Club(s)!Goals for country!Goals for club(s)!Total goals
1Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid
Juventus		77473550
2Lionel Messi Barcelona56493549
3Robert Lewandowski Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich		54363417
4Zlatan Ibrahimović Milan
Paris Saint-Germain
Manchester United
LA Galaxy		37303340
5Luis Suárez Liverpool
Barcelona
Atlético Madrid		47288335
6Edinson Cavani Napoli
Paris Saint-Germain
Manchester United		43291334
7Neymar Santos
Barcelona
Paris Saint-Germain		63264327
8Sergio Agüero Atlético Madrid
Manchester City		32270302
9Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Saint-Étienne
Borussia Dortmund
Arsenal		21257278
10Sebastián Tagliabúe Ettifaq
Al-Shabab
Al-Wahda
Al-Nasr		1264265
11Eran Zahavi Hapoel Tel Aviv
Palermo
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Guangzhou R&F
PSV Eindhoven		24240264
12Karim Benzema Real Madrid16243259
13Romelu Lukaku Anderlecht
West Bromwich Albion
Everton
Manchester United
Inter Milan		55203258
14Omar Al Somah Al Futowa
Al Qadsia
Al Ahli		15240255
15Ali Mabkhout Al-Jazira65185250
16Gonzalo Higuaín Real Madrid
Napoli
Juventus
Milan
Chelsea
Inter Miami		24218242
17Ali Ashfaq VB Sports Club
New Radiant
PDRM FA
Maziya S&RC
TC Sports Club
Club Green Streets
Club Valencia		37205242
18Nemanja Nikolić Videoton
Legia Warsaw
Chicago Fire
Fehérvár		7235242
19Abderrazak Hamdallah Olympic Safi
Aalesund
Guangzhou R&F
El Jaish
Al-Rayyan SC
Al-Nassr		6231237
20Harry Kane Tottenham Hotspur32204236
21Burak Yılmaz Trabzonspor
Galatasaray
Beijing Sinobo Guoan
Beşiktaş
Lille		24210234
22Mohamed Salah Al Mokawloon
Basel
Chelsea
Fiorentina
Roma
Liverpool		43186229
23Antoine Griezmann Real Sociedad
Atlético Madrid
Barcelona		33196229
24Carlos Saucedo San José
Saprissa
Oriente Petrolero
Blooming
Real Potosí
Guabirá
Royal Pari		7221228
25Edin Džeko Manchester City
Roma		42185227
26Bafétimbi Gomis Lyon
Swansea City
Marseille
Galatasaray
Al Hilal		1225226
27Baghdad Bounedjah USM El Harrach
Étoile du Sahel
Al Sadd		17207224
28Radamel Falcao Porto
Atlético Madrid
Monaco
Manchester United
Chelsea
Galatasaray		29194223
29Youssef El-Arabi Caen
Al Hilal
Granada
Al-Duhail
Olympiacos		16207223
30Klæmint Olsen NSÍ Runavík5215220
31André-Pierre Gignac Marseille
UANL		3216219
32Olivier Giroud Montpellier
Arsenal
Chelsea		44174218
33Thomas Müller Bayern Munich33180213
34Dejan Damjanović FC Seoul
Jiangsu Suning
Beijing Sinobo Guoan
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Daegu FC		6204210
35Jonathan Soriano Red Bull Salzburg
Beijing Sinobo Guoan
Al Hilal		0207207
36Hulk Porto
Zenit Saint Petersburg
Shanghai SIPG		11194205
37Dries Mertens Utrecht
PSV Eindhoven
Napoli		21182203
38Esteban Paredes Colo-Colo
Atlante
Querétaro		6196202
39Greg Draper The New Saints0202202
40Bas Dost Heerenveen
VfL Wolfsburg
Sporting CP
Eintracht Frankfurt		1200201
41Joe Gormley Cliftonville0200200

All-time World's Best Goal Scorer ranking

[8] [9]

Bold indicates players currently active.

Players with at least 500 goals!Rank!Player!!!!!Total!Years
1 Cristiano Ronaldo532521611288912002–present
2 Lionel Messi*497711471068332004–present
3 Pelé*6064927837651957–1977
4 Romário5449154647531985–2007
5 Ferenc Puskás5147655847291943–1966
6 Josef Bican*51812941327201931–1955
7 Jimmy Jones*3323012126471947–1964
8 4035499836392008–present
9 *4059269686341964–1981
10 Eusébio4259759416221958–1981
113482470216161926–1943
124064857625731999–2023
13311245605621987–2011
14 3604647685572005–present
15 *463723145521937–1949
16 *4464121435511954–1978
17 *4081300125501922–1937
183765570295301945–1966
19 György Sárosi35131102425261930–1948
2047685225111971–1992
213904938305071976–1997
224171810595041905–1928
232969387265021930–1949

Women's winners

IFFHS World's Best Woman Top Goal Scorer
Sport:Association football
Givenfor:Best goal scorer of the calendar year
Presenter:International Federation of Football History & Statistics
First:2021
Number:3
Firstwinner: Jennifer Hermoso
Mostwins: Jennifer Hermoso
Fenna Kalma
Temwa Chawinga
(1 award each)
Mostrecent: Temwa Chawinga (1st award)

List of winners

YearRankPlayerClub(s)Goals
20211st Jennifer Hermoso[11] Barcelona48
2nd Lea Schüller Bayern Munich47
3rd Alexia Putellas Barcelona43
20221st Fenna Kalma[12] Twente45
2nd Sam Kerr Chelsea38
3rd Tessa Wullaert Anderlecht
Fortuna Sittard		38
20231st Temwa Chawinga[13] Wuhan Jiangda63
2nd Charlyn Corral Pachuca39
3rd Kiana Palacios América38

Statistics

Winners (2021–present)!Player!Wins!Years
Jennifer Hermoso12021
Fenna Kalma12022
Temwa Chawinga12023
Most goals in a year!Rank!Player!Year!Goals
1 Temwa Chawinga202363
2 Jennifer Hermoso202148
3 Lea Schüller202147
4 Fenna Kalma202245
5 Alexia Putellas202143
6 Charlyn Corral202339
7 Sam Kerr202238
Tessa Wullaert2022
Wins by club!Club!Total!Players
Barcelona11
Twente11
Wuhan Jiangda11
Wins by nationality!Nationality!Total!Players
11
11
11

See also

References

  1. Web site: IFFHS AWARDS 2020 - ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNERS ON DECEMBER 5, 2020. 5 November 2021. IFFHS.
  2. Web site: IFFHS WORLD'S BEST TOP GOAL SCORERS 2011 TO 2020. 5 November 2021. IFFHS.
  3. Web site: IFFHS ranking for goal-scorers of 1st Decade XXI. 4 November 2023. IFFHS.
  4. Web site: 1 January 2022. IFFHS MEN'S WORLD BEST TOP GOALSCORER 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20220102194025/https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1555. 2 January 2022. 4 January 2022. IFFHS.
  5. Web site: 3 January 2023. IFFHS AWARDS 2022 - MEN'S WORLD BEST GOAL SCORER. 3 January 2023. IFFHS.
  6. Web site: 1 January 2024. IFFHS MEN'S WORLD BEST GOAL SCORER 2023. 1 January 2024. IFFHS.
  7. Web site: IFFHS WORLD'S BEST TOP GOAL SCORER OF THE DECADE 2011-2020 - CRISTIANO RONALDO. 5 November 2021. IFFHS.
  8. Web site: IFFHS Statistics - All time goal scorer ranking . . 22 October 2021 . 20 October 2021.
  9. Web site: THE WORLD'S BEST GOALSCORER OF XXI CENTURY . . 7 January 2022 . 7 January 2022.
  10. Web site: Dollars, droughts and a half-millennium . 28 April 2017 . 5 July 2021 . FIFA.
  11. Web site: 31 December 2021. IFFHS WOMEN'S WORLD BEST TOP GOALSCORER 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20220101005916/https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1552. 1 January 2022. 4 January 2022. IFFHS.
  12. Web site: 3 January 2023. IFFHS AWARDS 2022 - WOMEN'S WORLD BEST GOAL SCORER. 3 January 2023. IFFHS.
  13. Web site: 1 January 2024. IFFHS WOMEN'S WORLD BEST GOAL SCORER 2023. 1 January 2024. IFFHS.

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