Having endured a relatively subdued debut campaign with PSG, which led to being left off the Ballon d'Or shortlist for the first time since 2005, Lionel Messi has started the 2022-23 campaign on fire.

Regarded by many as the greatest player of all time, there's an argument that he remains the best player in the world – and the numbers in recent months certainly make for a strong case.

"I feel good, physically," Lionel Messi recently revealed in an interview with Star+.

"I had a good preseason this year, which I wasn't able to do the year before Barcelona to PSG>. It was key to starting off better, as I did, with a lot of mental focus and eagerness."

Messi won the Copa America last summer, which led to a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or. But some questioned whether that was his final bow at the very top of the game, having struggled to stand out in a first season after his sorrowful exit from Barcelona.

Yet he still helped PSG regain their Ligue 1 crown, registered a reasonable number of assists, and got better as the season went on, and suffering a physical impact after contracting coronavirus.

But there's no questioning Messi this year. He scored and registered two assists in a 3-0 victory over AC Ajaccio, leaving his coach to wax lyrical about the football he's producing.

"I say it often, but he is one of the best players in the history of football. He loves to play for others, has a great relationship with the ball and he is very selfless," said Christoph Galtier.

"Tonight he was both very generous with his passes, especially from deep, and magnificent on the second goal. I always tell people to come to the stadium when players like him are on the field, because when they're gone, everyone will miss them."

Here are 12 of the most impressive statistics that underline just how good Lionel Messi is right now.

1. Messi has made 17 appearances for club and country this season. He's failed to register a goal or an assist in just three of those appearances.

2. Across those 17 appearances for PSG and Argentina, the 35-year-old has notched 13 goals and 10 assists. That averages out as 1.35 direct contributions to goal for every appearance so far this season.

3. No player in Europe's top five leagues has registered more assists than Messi. He's notched nine from 11 appearances in Ligue 1. That puts him joint-top of the assists chart alongside Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne.

4. Messi is the highest-rated player in Europe on WhoScored this season (8.80). He's received more Man of the Match awards than any other player (seven of 11 appearances)

5. Only his PSG team-mate Neymar (nine goals, seven assists) and Man City striker Erling Haaland (15 goals, three assists) have registered more combined goals and assists in Europe's top five leagues this season. Messi sits third with six goals and nine assists.

6. In the calendar year of 2022, only Kylian Mbappe (43), Robert Lewandowski (34) and Harry Kane (31) have more combined goals and assists in the major European leagues than Messi (30). Messi is on top in terms of assists in 2022, with 19 in Ligue 1.

7. That works out as a goal or an assist every 64.4 minutes in Ligue 1 this season. That's not far off his career-best average of a goal or assist every 51.2 minutes (2011-12).

8. Messi has scored nine goals in his last three appearances for Argentina, including five goals in one game against Estonia back in June.

9. No player in Europe's major leagues has taken more shots than Messi (51) this season, and no player has registered more on target (27).

10. Only four players in Europe's big leagues – Rennes' Benjamin Bourigeaud, Udinese's Gerard Deulofeu, Toulouse's Branco van den Boomen and Kevin De Bruyne – have registered more key passes (the final shot before a team-mate shoots at goal).

11. Messi is also way out in front in terms of dribbles this season. He's successfully completed 44 dribbles in Ligue 1 this season. The next-most across Europe's major leagues is Angers' Azzedine Ounahi, who has successfully completed 29 dribbles.

12. He's completed 55 passes into the penalty area – that's 16 more than any player in Europe's top five leagues.

Whenever a new transfer window arrives, with more money coming into the game, we see more spending and expensive buys from clubs around the world. However, along with experienced and proven footballers, football clubs always tend to buy new, exciting teenage footballers, even before they become stars.

Today, in this article, we will list the 20 most expensive teenagers in football transfer history.

20 Most expensive teenagers in football transfer history

Please note that the fee is based on Transfermarkt's data and is accurate as of August 7, 2025.

20. Javier Saviola – River Plate to FC Barcelona – 2001 – €35.90m (Age 19)

Javier Saviola's transfer to FC Barcelona from River Plate was the record fee for any teenager till it was later broken by Wayne Rooney. After scoring 24 goals in 41 matches, besides his 11 assists for River Plate, while winning the Argentine league in consecutive years, Saviola became the star FC Barcelona were looking for.

However, the transfer did not work that well for both him and the club as he was loaned out many times and went to play for Real Madrid in future as well. Saviola was recently the assistant manager of the Barcelona U19 team as well.

19. Josko Gvardiol – Dinamo Zagreb to RB Leipzig – 2021 – €36.8m (Age 19)

A Croatian defensive prodigy, Gvardiol impressed with his versatility and speed by playing as a ball-playing centre-back and left-back. His performances for Dinamo Zagreb and Croatia’s national team stirred RB Leipzig to break their transfer record.

Along with skill, Josko Gvardiol's physical strength and tactical intelligence made Leipzig pay €36.8m for the defender in 2021.

Two years later, Leipzig sold Gavrdiol to Manchester City for a whopping €90.00m.

18. Wayne Rooney – Everton to Manchester United – 2004 – €37m (Age 18)

One of England’s greatest ever talents, Rooney was signed for a then-record fee for a teenager. His all-around attacking prowess, vision, and finishing skill justified the huge investment.

In the 2003/04 season for Everton, Rooney had already scored nine goals in the Premier League as a teenager, which made Sir Alex Ferguson sign the youngster for a record €37m.

Rooney became Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer with 253 goals in 559 official games, winning five Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy.

Read Also: Most Premier League titles as a player

17. Luke Shaw – Southampton to Manchester United – 2014/15 – €37.5m (Age 18)

A highly rated left-back, Shaw was signed for his blend of strong defensive skills and speed. He was seen as the next big defender from England after John Terry, as he had done quite well at Southampton and England U-21s then.

Luke Shaw was bought by Manchester United in 2014 with a transfer fee of €37.5 million, making him one of the most expensive teenage footballers ever.

Despite serious injury setbacks, he has developed into a dependable member of United’s backline since then and continues to be a member of Ruben Amorim's team.

Two years ago today, @LukeShaw23 signed for #mufc. We can't wait to see him back in action! pic.twitter.com/uHXr6q10Pt

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 27, 2016

16. Yankuba Minteh – Newcastle United to Brighton – 2024 – €38.8m (Age 19)

A direct, pacey Gambian forward, Yankuba Minteh, earned his big move as Brighton always invests in young, aggressive talents to shape their Premier League competitiveness and future development.

Newcastle United were the first to sign him, but sent him on loan to Feyenoord, where he scored 11 goals and had five assists. Brighton then signed him permanently in the 2024/25 season, for €38.8m, making him one of the most expensive teenagers in football transfer history.

Last season, he had 12 goal contributions for Brighton in the Premier League.

In 2024, Sportz Point named Minteh among the top 10 future stars of the Premier League.

In case you missed the big news overnight... 😜 Yankuba Minteh is an Albion player! 💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/hA9HVaeHc6

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) July 1, 2024

15. Dejan Kulusevski – Atalanta to Juventus – 2019/20 – €39m (Age 19)

Dejan Kulusevski, the Swedish winger, scored 10 goals and assisted 9 times in Serie A in the 2019-20 season, leading Juventus to pay a premium to have him in the Winter transfer window.

Although he was brought to Turin with a €39m transfer fee from Atalanta BC, he was soon loaned out to Parma and Tottenham Hotspur. In 2023, he was eventually bought by Spurs with a transfer fee of €30.00 million.

14. Fabio Silva – Porto to Wolves – 2020/21 – €40m (Age 18)

Portuguese striker Fabio Silva came with impressive youth goal-scoring records for FC Porto U19 and the FC Porto team from the 2018-2020 season. Seeing his talent, Wolves paid a significant fee of €40m, hoping that his technical finishing and physicality would translate well into Premier League success.

However, he was soon loaned to various clubs. Last season, he joined the team after spending a season at UD Las Palmas on loan.

13. Vitor Roque – Athletico Paranaense to FC Barcelona – 2024 – €40m (Age 19)

Barcelona acquired Roque to bolster their attack during a rebuilding phase. Known for his goal instinct, technical skill, and agile movement, Roque had scored 21 goals in 45 games for the Brazilian club Paranaense to attract a €40m bid from the Catalan club.

However, after only 2 goals in 16 games for the Spanish, he was sent back on loan to Real Betis and eventually signed for Palmeiras last season.

12. Archie Gray – Leeds United to Tottenham Hotspur – 2024 – €41.25m (Age 19)

A promising English defensive midfielder, Archie Gray, made a high-profile resume after winning the U21 Euros and doing well for Leeds United.

This helped Tottenham sign him for €41.25m in 2024 as they continued to focus on developing young home-grown talent.

Archie played 28 Premier League and 11 Europa League games for Spurs in his first season at the club.

Read Also: Most goal contributions in every season since 2001 [Updated]

11. Jorrel Hato – Ajax to Chelsea – 2025 – €44.18m (Age 19)

Dutch defender Jorrel Hato, who came through Ajax’s ranks, secured a big move to Chelsea. With Enzo Maresca and Chelsea’s long-term strategic vision for rebuilding their defence, Hato was supposed to be the next big thing for the Blues.

The left-back has a knack for scoring and contributing to goals as well. He had eight goal contributions in the 2024/25 Eredivisie for Ajax.

Read Also: Premier League Stats: Top 5 defenders with the most goals

10. Franco Mastantuono – River Plate to Real Madrid - 2025 - €45m (Age 18)

With a €45 million coming on 14th August 2025, Argentine U21 star Franco Mastantuono is all set to be the most expensive teenager in the football transfer window of the 2025/26 season.

The right-winger had a successful 2024/25 season with River Plate, scoring seven times in 22 games along with four assists, which led him to make his senior debut for Argentina as well.

9. Vinicius Jr. – Flamengo to Real Madrid – 2018 – €45m (Age 18)

Real Madrid and Brazilian youngsters have always been a love affair made in heaven. After scoring 10 goals and assisting four times in 32 goals for Flamengo in the 2017-18 season, Vinicius Jr.’s electrifying pace, dribbling, and flair made him a valued acquisition for Real Madrid.

Vinicius was brought to Real Madrid for €45m, which made him one of the most expensive teenagers in world football of the last decade.

Despite a slow start, he developed into a key player, helping Madrid win three La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies.

Read Also: Players with the most Champions League titles

8. Rodrygo – Santos to Real Madrid – 2019 – €45m (Age 18)

As I was saying, Real Madrid and Brazilian teenage stars stand in a love affair made in heaven.

Following Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo was signed to strengthen Real Madrid’s attack with a versatile winger capable of playing across the frontline. Rodrygo had already done well for Santos in the previous season, which caught the eyes of Los Blancos, and soon he was signed for €45m

Since then, he has won three La Liga titles and two Champions League titles with the club, while scoring 68 crucial goals and providing 51 assists.

Read Also: Most Champions League titles won by Football Clubs

7. Endrick – Palmeiras to Real Madrid – 2024 – €47.5m (Age 18)

Now it would be boring for you if I repeated the same thing. But what can I do if we have three back-to-back, same transfer patterns on our list of the most expensive teenagers in football transfer history?

Hailed as one of Brazil’s brightest prospects, Endrick’s prolific youth scoring and sharp finishing caught the eye of Real Madrid.

Endrick was brought to Bernabeu by Carlo Ancelotti after he helped Palmeiras win the Brazilian league in successive previous seasons.

6. Anthony Martial – Monaco to Manchester United – 2015 – €60m (Age 19)

🗓️ On this day in 2015...

Anthony Martial introduced himself to Old Trafford with THAT goal against Liverpool on his #MUFC debut 🥲🫶pic.twitter.com/2pbOF0B6F3

— Stretford Paddock (@StretfordPaddck) September 12, 2024

Martial’s dazzling speed, dribbling, and flair from France made Manchester United break their teenage transfer record. After a great season with AS Monaco, where he scored 12 goals and provided five assists, United broke every record to bring him to Old Trafford.

He had an immediate impact with 17 Premier League goals in his debut season, though injuries and form fluctuations have tempered his career since.

5. Leny Yoro – Lille to Manchester United – 2024 – €62m (Age 18)

Manchester United invested heavily in Leny Yoro’s defensive attributes, physicality, and maturity beyond his years. Yoro was signed by United under Erik ten Hag for €62m, a record transfer fee for a teenage defender.

He still continues to be one of the pillars of the United defence under new boss Ruben Amorim.

4. Romeo Lavia – Southampton to Chelsea – 2023 – €62.1m (Age 19)

Belgian midfielder Romeo Lavia’s combination of technical skill, tactical intelligence, and defensive contributions enticed Chelsea to pay a club-record fee of €62.1m for a teenager.

Lavia was first discovered by Manchester City, where he flourished for the Manchester City U-21 and U-23 teams. Then, he did well for Southampton to be able to attract a large bid from Chelsea.

3. Matthijs de Ligt – Ajax to Juventus – 2019 – €85.5m (Age 19)

Matthijs De Ligt captained a young Ajax side to the 2018/19 Champions League semifinals and even scored a decisive goal for them in the quarter-finals. Juventus rewarded him with one of the highest fees ever for a teenage defender when he was bought for a record fee for a teenage defender, €85.5m.

After spending seasons with Juventus and FC Bayern Munich, the defender signed for Manchester United in 2024, under former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.

Read Also: European treble winners in men's football history

2. Joao Felix – Benfica to Atletico Madrid – 2019 – €127.2m (Age 19)

Touted as a generational talent, Joao Felix was signed as a creative attacking replacement for Antoine Griezmann by Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a club record €127.2 million.

Felix had scored 20 goals in 43 games for Benfica, along with 11 assists, before joining the Spanish club. However, he could not justify the price tag and soon found himself playing for different clubs.

At 25, he has now signed for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr FC.

Read Also: Reliving Barcelona's Golden Era: A Tribute to Footballing Brilliance

1. Kylian Mbappe – Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain – 2018 – €180m (Age 19)

Kylian Mbappe's transfer from AS Monaco to PSG in 2018 is still the most expensive football transfer for a teenager.

Mbappe's blistering pace, clinical finishing, and football intelligence at such a young age had already made him a star.

Read Also: Top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century

In the 2016/17 season, Mbappe scored 28 goals and had 14 assists in 46 games for Monaco, which had set him up as one of the greatest footballing talents on earth. Among those 28 goals, 6 were in the Champions League in just 9 games.

Monaco have agreed to loan Kylian Mbappe to PSG with an option to sign him for €180m next summer. Medical tomorrow. (Source: L'Equipe) pic.twitter.com/cXSjQRva3K

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 27, 2017

PSG thought of Mbappe as an investment as they looked to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

PSG’s record fee of €180m paid off as he became Ligue 1’s all-time top scorer, a World Cup winner, and one of the world’s best players.

Cristiano Ronaldo might be playing in Saudi Arabia these days, but he's still racking up records in Portuguese colours. Among male footballers, Ronaldo holds the record for most international goals of all time, as part of his enduring pursuit of titles and records. The 40-year-old also has most international appearances in the history of men's football after playing his 200th game for Portugal in June 2023. 

In this article, we'll look at the active football players with the most international goals.

Also Read: Messi vs Ronaldo: Who has scored the most non-penalty goals?

Most International Goals by Active Players (2025)

10. Edin Dzeko | 68 goals

Edin Dzeko is one of the most underrated strikers of his generation. The Inter Milan marksman is 39 years old but is still going strong. He has won the 'Bosnian Footballer of the Year' award three successive times in his career.

Dzeko has been quite prolific for his national team. He has scored 68 goals and provided 21 assists in his international career so far.

9. Harry Kane | 73 goals

Captain Harry Kane became the first player to score two goals on his 100th appearance for England. The striker scored his 67th and 68th international goals in the second half of the Nations League at Wembley over Finland, thundering an excellent strike in off the underside of the bar, then curling in a neat finish.

He also became just the third player to score on his 100th England appearance, after Wayne Rooney (versus Slovenia in 2014) and Bobby Charlton (against Northern Ireland in 1970).

Before kick-off, Kane was presented with a golden cap to mark the achievement, and also wore golden boots during the match.

8. Luis Suarez | 69 goals

Uruguay international Luis Suarez has had an illustrious career. He won the European Golden Shoe twice in the last decade and is widely regarded as one of the best centre-forwards of the 21st century.

Suarez, who recently led Uruguay to World Cup qualification, has scored 68 goals in his international career.

7. Neymar | 79 goals

Neymar Jr. is one of the most talented footballers we have seen in the 21st century. He is a joy to watch on the football pitch and is capable of producing moments of magic on a regular basis.

Neymar is one of the most innovative forwards of the modern era. He has been absolutely phenomenal for Brazil and is now surpassed Pele's goalscoring record for Brazil (77). Neymar has scored 79 goals and for the Brazilian national team so far in his career.

6. Robert Lewandowski | 85 goals

Robert Lewandowski is currently the most prolific goalscorer in Europe's top five leagues. The Bayern Munich striker has played some of the best football of his career in recent seasons.

Lewandowski has been a cut above the rest of his national teammates throughout his career. He has been a standout performer for Poland in recent years. The 36-year-old has scored 85 goals for Poland in international football.

Also Read: Top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century

5. Ali Mabkhout | 85 goals

Al Jazira and UAE legend Ali Mabkhout is a clinical finisher and as well as being one of his club's best scorers. However, he is also the United Arab Emirates' top international scorer of all time. He has a total of 85 international goals to his name. 

During the 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarter-finals, Mabkhout netted the only goal in a 1–0 victory over defending champions Australia, which helped his country qualify for the semi-finals. Mabkhout scored a hat-trick against Indonesia in a 5–0 win in 2019 to become UAE's all-time leading goalscorer.

4. Romelu Lukaku | 89 goals

Romelu Lukaku has been a beast in attack for Belgium's golden generation. He has consistently produced the goods for his star-studded national team and continues to do so.

Lukaku's form at club level may have fluctuated but he has maintained high standards in international football. The 32-year-old has scored 89 goals in his international career so far.

3. Sunil Chhetri | 95 goals

Sunil Chhetri is regarded as one of the best football players India has ever produced. In a career spanning over two decades, the centre-forward has won many individual as well as team accolades.

With 95 goals to his name in 154 international appearances, Chhetri is the third highest goal-scorer in international matches, only behind Portuguese ace Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi of Argentina.

Also Read: Every Indian Team Football Coach Since 1948

Since Sunil Chhetri’s first senior professional goal for Mohun Bagan in the National Football League season (2002-03), the Indian football great has notched up many goal-scoring feats for both club and country.

2. Lionel Messi | 112 goals 

Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers, has had a remarkable international career with Argentina. Messi, with 112 international goals, ranks second on the all-time top goal-scorers list, trailing only Ronaldo. Since his debut in 2005, Messi has earned 189 caps, leading Argentina to victories in the Copa America and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi can still catch Ronaldo for the record, if he plays on through to the 2026 World Cup and perhaps beyond.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo | 138 goals

Cristiano Ronaldo holds the world record for international goals, scoring 138 for Portugal since making his debut in 2003. He is also the all-time leading appearance-maker in men's international football, having played 221 games, eclipsing the previous record of 196 held by Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa against Liechtenstein on 23 March 2023, and marking the occasion with two goals. He has hit ten international hat-tricks, a record he shares with Lionel Messi.

Also Read: Every Manchester United records that may never be broken

Ronaldo broke the world record for international goals when he scored twice against the Republic of Ireland in Portugal's European Qualifier in Faro-Loulé on 1 September 2021, aged 36. He surpassed the existing world-record mark set by former Iran forward Ali Daei, the first man to claim a century of international goals. Lionel Messi joined the elite group on 28 March 2023.

Lamine Yamal just created his greatest football XI of all time with Real Madrid and Barcelona legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The recently turned 18 year old teenage star has been one of the best footballers in the world currently from two seasons. 

The Spaniard had a Ballon d'Or 2025 worthy season with FC Barcelona as he helped the Catalan club regain La Liga and win a domestic treble. Not only that, he was super influential in Spain winning the Euro 2024 as he was named the best young player of the tournament.

The La Masia product has recently signed a groundbreaking contract with FC Barcelona till 2031. Moreover you will be wearing the famous No. 10 jersey of Lionel Messi from 2025-26 season. 

Yamal made an appearance on China Media Group's "Total Soccer" program and he was asked to create his greatest football XI of all-time. The youngster made an scintillating attack consisting Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine great Lionel Messi. Not only that he had four Spain legends in his lineup as most of his XI players are from La Liga giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Read Also | 10 legendary Barcelona players to wear jersey no. 10

Lamine Yamal's Greatest Football XI

Goalkeeper

Iker Casillas

With more than 400 clean sheets in his entire career Iker Casillas is one of the greatest goalkeepers of the modern football. The Spaniard was not only athletic but was brave in making decisions while pulling up some great saves for Real Madrid and the Spanish national team.

Read Also | 10 great goals scored by goalkeepers

Iker Casillas is the player with second most apperances for Los Blancos and led them to many titles in his career. Not only that as he was as much a key player for Spain as he led the La Roja to their first major trophy in 44 years when they won the Euro 2008. Casillas had only conecced two goals in that entire tournameent.

Casillas won 23 major trophies in his career which includes 3 UEFA Champions League, 2 European Championships, 5 La Liga titles, and a FIFA World Cup.

Right-Back

Dani Alves

43 career trophies, the second most in football history, trophies across Europe, 280 goal contributions as a right-back and countless brave tackles, Dani Alves is surely one of the greats of the game. 

Although the Brazilian ended his career with bitter sweet experiences and cotroveries, no one can deny his ceredbilty as a footballer. 

Alves won 43 trophies in career, which had 3 Champions Leagues with FC Barcelona and 9 League titles across three leagues along with one Olympic title with Brazil.

Read Also | Reliving Barcelona's Golden Era: A Tribute to Footballing Brilliance

Center-Backs

Gerard Pique & Sergio Ramos

Here comes the two of the greatest center-backs of the modern era. Both defenders were part of the Golden generation of Spanish football where they won back-to-back three international trophies from 2008 to 2012. 

Pique, who won 39 trophies for FC Barcelona, Manchester United and Spain, had a stellar career as a defender. The FC Barcelona legend won four Champions League titles along with 9 La Liga titles, which makes him one of the most successful defenders of all-time.

Meantime, Ramos who is one of highest scoring defenders in football history is known for his performances in clutch moments. Moreover, he was crucial for Real Madrid as a leader and defender while winning four Champions League for them.

Left-back 

Marcelo

Marcelo, the Brazilian defender is one of the most loved players of the modern era. Quoted by Cristiano Ronaldo as the one of the best players he has played with, the Real Madrid legend won 5 Champions League titles and 6 La Liga, all for the Los Blancos.

Marcelo played 546 games for Real Madrid while having 58 appearences for Brazil.

Attacking mid-field

Zinedine Zidane

Now if we are talking about class, clutch moments, flair and midfield greatness, you will have to have Zinedine Zidane in your playing XI. Lamine Yamal thus had the French and Real Madrid great in his playing XI.

Zidane, the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner with Juventus, helped Franch win the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In total he won 16 major trophies in his career. 

Zidane formed a teriffic mid-field in that Galactico team in the mid 2000s with Luis Figo, Ronaldo Nazario, David Beckham and Roberto Carlos. His peformance in big moments influenced Yamal chose over Barcelona legends like Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets in his greatest football XI.

Zidane won only Champions League title, in which he scored in the final, against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002.

Read Also | Kylian Mbappe named all-time XI including Ronaldo, Messi, Ronaldinho & Neymar

Neymar Jr.

Probbaly the greatest showstopper of the modern football, Neymar Jr., formed one of the greatest trios of football alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. 

The Brazilian's dribbling skill had made him one of the biggest attackers in the world which made PSG sign him for a controversial record fee of £200m. Neymar scored the most goals for his country, Brazil while raking up goals for teams like FC Barcelona, PSG and Santos.

Read Also | MSN vs BBC: Rivalry of football's greatest trio in stats

Lionel Messi

The greatest playmaker in football history, Lionel Messi was a no-brainer in Lamine Yamal's greatest football XI of all-time. With 46 trophies, Messi is the player with most trophies in football history. Moreover, the Agrentine is the player with most goal contributions in football history. 

El calendario solidario de la @FundacioFCB 2008 en colaboración con @sport protagonizado por Leo Messi, Lamine Yamal y otros jugadores del primer equipo. 🤩

Una acción social para recaudar fondos para UNICEF y para los programas de protección de la infancia de la Fundación Barça… pic.twitter.com/PHqBhEYGaT

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) July 10, 2024

The 8-time Ballon d'Or winner, just like Lamine Yamal himself, was a La Masia product. Not only that, he was the one who had early connection with Yamal, in a once-in-a-generation photos for UNESCO, where Messi was seen holding a toddler Lamine Yamal.

Messi, who has the record of most non-penalty goals in 21st century, scored the most goals for FC Barcelona and Argentina and surely will be there in everyone's all-time football XI. 

Right Wing

Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho's presence on the right wing proves how much Lamine Yamal is influenced with Brazilian style of football. Ronaldinho, the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner was one of the most eye-catching footballers of his time. 

The former FC Barcelona legend had the flair, style and skill which made even the opponents appreciate him. 

However his off-field life shoretned his carrer, which could have become more legendary. He won 11 major trophies including one Champions League and one FIFA World Cup.

Read Also | Top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century

Left Wing

Cristiano Ronaldo

The greatest goalscorer of the world with 938 goals and counting for his clubs and country combined, is a must in any World XI. Ronaldo, who started as a winger at Manchester United, became a goal scoring machine at Real Madrid. 

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has won 36 major trophies in his career, including 5 Champions League titles and one European Championships.

Ronaldo's pace, agression, and will to score goal is an asset for any team and looks like Yamal knows that too.

Striker

Ronaldo Nazario

Now, here is the ultimate striker. The finishing skill, goal scoring ability, flair, agression, shooting and the ball control - all of these makes Ronaldo Nazario the ultimate striker. 

The two-time Ballon d'Or winner is the youngest winner of the award, when he won it in 1997 while playing for Inter Milan, after a successful 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Read Also | The greatest football XI as per Ronaldo Nazario: Check out the team

Ronaldo won 18 major trophies in his career and is the only player on this list two have played for both Ral Madrid and FC Barcelona. However, he is the only player not to win the Champions League which he has compensted by winning two FIFA World Cup titles.

If you're a football buff, getting into every Messi vs Ronaldo stat and comparison might be a daily task for you. On Sportz Point, we have tried to cover every Messi vs Roanldo comparison possible for you. Today, we have something special for you. 

In this article, we will get to know every detail about the non-penalty goals scored by both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Recently, Lionel Messi has gone past Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of scoring the most non-penalty goals in the 21st century. How many goals did they score? We will get to know about this today. 

Read Also | Statistical Overlook of Messi vs Ronaldo Debate: Who Is the G.O.A.T?

What is a non-penalty goal?

This is quite easy and simple to understand. We know for a football geek like you, it is a simple answer. But, for everyone new to football, we have got you covered as well. 

A non-penalty goal is a goal scored from open play, not from the penalty spot. A penalty is something a footballer scores from 12 yards (11 meters) from the goal line and centred between the touchlines, which is called the penalty spot.

Read Also | Premier League jerseys of each club for the 2025-26 season

Who has scored the most non-penalty goals?

Since there is no definite record of the official goals scored in past, mostly in the 1970s, and before that, we will only consider the stats of the 21st century to answer this one. 

As of 21st July, 2025, Lionel Messi has scored the most non-penalty goals in the 21st century. The Argentine has scored 764 non-penalty goals in just 1114 appearances. 

Messi vs Ronaldo: Non-penalty goals comparison

Lionel Messi leads by one goal compared to Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to non-penalty goals scored in football. Messi has scored 764 non-penalty goals in just 1114 appearances, of which 676 came for the clubs he has played for. 

Messi has scored 111 non-penalty goals in the Champions League as well.

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Meantime, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored the most goals in the 21st century, has scored 763 non-penalty goals till now in 1281 matches. Ronaldo has scored 646 non-penalty goals in his club career, which is 30 fewer than Messi's record. 

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However, the Portuguese has a better record than Messi when it comes to the Champions League and international football. But he has played 167 more matches than Messi. 

What percentage of Messi and Ronald's goals came in penalties?

Till now, Messi has converted 110 of the 141 he has taken so far. So, since he has scored 874 goals so far in his career, only 12.5% goals came through penalties. 

Meanwhile, as of 21st July, 2025, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 175 penalty goals of the 208 penalties he has taken so far. And if we calculate it with the 938 career goals Ronaldo has, 18.65% goals came through penalties. 

Hat tricks are one of the toughest and most exciting things in football. To score thrice in a single match is not only hard but also one of the rarest things as well. However, some players have made it look so easy.

Today, in this article, we will talk about the top ten players with most hat tricks in football in the 21st century.

But before that, let me answer the question that you have in your mind. I know that you want to know who has scored the most hat-tricks in football history.

Who has scored the most hat-tricks in football history?

Now that's a very tricky question to answer because there is a lack of proof with the data of football score lines from the past.

As per Guinness World Records, the Brazilian legend Pele has scored the most hat-tricks in football history. The former striker scored as many as 92 hat tricks in his career, with seven of them being for Brazil. However, since Pele never played in Europe, there is no exact data or proof to support the answer. Most of Pele's hat-tricks came in unofficial and friendlies as well.

Top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century

Now, to list the top ten players with most hat tricks in football in the 21st century, there will be no confusion, because we have the proof and the data to support our list. This data not only validates but also proves why keeping the record of every football stat is important.

With this list, you will know how the 21st century has been dominated by two of the greatest footballers in history.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have scored twice as many hat tricks as the 3rd player on the list has achieved.

Here is the full list of the top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century.

12. Sergio Aguero | 18 hat-tricks

The former Manchester City and Argentina legend is one of the greatest strikers of this century. Sergio Aguero finished his career as one of the highest scorers in Premier League history with 180 goals for Manchester City in the league.

With 18 hat tricks to his name, including his club and international career, Aguero is the player with the 12th most hat-tricks in the 21st century.

Not surprisingly, twelve of his 18 hat tricks came for Manchester City, most in the Premier League. However, Aguero only scored one hat-trick for Argentina in his international career.

The former striker scored more than four goals three times in his career, all in the Premier League. 

11. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar | 18

Now, this name can come as a surprise to many Gen-Z football followers. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the former Dutch and Ajax centre-forward, scored 18 hat-tricks in his stunning football career.

Although three of his 18 hat-tricks came in the second division of the Dutch League, they are considered official hat-tricks.

Huntelaar scored seven hat-tricks for Ajax and eight for German club FC Schalke. He could only score one international hat-trick for the Netherlands.

Huntelaar scored 366 goals in his career and also featured for clubs like Real Madrid and AC Milan.

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#10. Mario Gomez | 18

The former German striker is one of the most underrated players of his generation. Over his entire career, Mario Gomez scored 333 goals in 610 games for teams like FC Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart and Fiorentina.

The one-time Champions League and three-time Bundesliga winner scored 18 hat-tricks in his career.

12 of his hat-tricks came for FC Bayern Munich, while four came for Stuttgart and one each for Wolfsburg and Germany.

#9. Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 20

One of the most acrobatic and threatening strikers of the modern era, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the highest scorers of the 21st century.

The Swedish legend is perhaps one of the greatest players to never win the UEFA Champions League despite playing for teams like FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester United, PSG and Juventus.

Read Also | Players with most Champions League finals without winning it ever

Zlatan scored 20 hat-tricks in his career, among which half were for PSG. He scored four hat-tricks for his country, Sweden.

#8 Neymar | 21

The Brazilian modern-day great, Neymar, is one of the most loved and eye-catching footballers of the 21st century. Neymar is Brazil's highest goal scorer ever, with 79 goals in 120 matches.

The attacking midfielder made his name with Brazilian club Santos and then went on to conquer Europe with FC Barcelona and PSG before joining Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

Four of his 21 hat tricks came for Brazil, which is the second most for the five-time world champion nation. He scored four hat tricks each for FC Barcelona and PSG, while scoring eight hat tricks for his home club, Santos. 

#7 Kylian Mbappe | 22

Now here comes the new generation superstar. Kylian Mbappe has already broken multiple football records in his short career for AS Monaco, PSG, Real Madrid and France.

One of the youngest goal scorers in FIFA World Cup history and one of the youngest ever to score in a World Cup final, Kylian Mbappe is indeed made for greatness.

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Mbappe has already scored 22 hat-tricks in his career, which include one in the famous FIFA World Cup 2022 final as well. The youngster, who is often compared with Cristiano Ronaldo, has scored 14 hat-tricks for PSG and three for France. The rest came for AS Monaco (2) and Real Madrid (3).

#6 Erling Haaland | 25

Norwegian Erling Haaland is a beast when it comes to scoring goals within the 'D box'. He would always see him at the right place at the right time, scoring some great acrobatic goals.

Haaland rose to fame with German club Borussia Dortmund and then unleashed his absolute best for Premier League club Manchester City. In his first season in the Premier League, he broke the record for the most goals in a season in the tournament (36).

In 329 matches, he has scored 24 hat-tricks and can only get better from here on. 11 of his hat-tricks came for Manchester City, among which 8 came in the Premier League, in only two seasons. 

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#5 Harry Kane | 27

Harry Kane is the only English player on our list of the top 12 players with most hat tricks in football in 21st century. With 27 hat tricks in his career till now, Harry Kane is fifth on our list currently.

Read Also | Harry Kane becomes the fastest footballer to score 50 Bundesliga goals

The Tottenham Hotspur legend, who left Premier League with the second most goals in the competition's history, is now breaking records in the Bundesliga as well.

Kane scored 14 hat-tricks for Spurs and has already scored 8 hat-tricks for FC Bayern Munich in just two seasons.

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#4 Luis Suarez | 30

Uruguayan legend Luis Suarez, who dominated European football first for Ajax and Liverpool and then for FC Barcelona, creating the famous M-S-N trio with Lionel Messi and Neymar, scored 30 hat-tricks in his career.

Suarez is currently playing for Inter Miami and has scored 505 goals so far in his career, among which 69 came for Uruguay. 

Twelve of his total 30 career hat-tricks came for FC Barcelona and 9 for Ajax during his early days.

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#3 Robert Lewandowski | 34

If we do not count Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski of Poland has been the greatest footballer of this generation. It is harsh that he always gets compared to those two and has not recieve the appreciation he should get.

He was even unlucky not to win the 2020 Ballon d'Or, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. Apart from Messi and Cristiano, he is the only player to score over 100 Champions League goals.

Read Also | Highest scoring footballers of the 21st century

Lewandowski scored 34 hat-tricks in his career so far, and 20 of them came for FC Bayern Munich, where he won 8 Bundesliga and one Champions League titles. With 6 UCL hat-tricks, he is the player with the second most hat-tricks in the competition's history, only behind Lionel Messi. 

#2 Lionel Messi | 59

Now you will have to bear with me a bit because the list will get bigger.

Lionel Messi, who has won the most trophies in football history, won the most Ballon d'Or awards, scored the second most four or more goals in football (8), and also has the record for most goal contributions in football history, scoring 59 hat-tricks in his career so far.

Messi also has the record of scoring the most La Liga (36) hat-tricks, which is more than other player's whole career.

The Argentine has scored 48 hat-tricks for FC Barcelona, which is also a record. Messi till now has scored 10 international hat-tricks, the most for Argentina and joint-most in international football history.

Moreover, out of Messi's 59 hat-tricks, only 12 included a penalty, which makes him the player with the most non-penalty hat-tricks as well. 

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo | 66

Here comes the greatest goal scorer in football history, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese legend has scored the most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century. And, if you do not count the unverified record for Pele, he has the most hat-tricks in football history.

Most goals in club history, most goals in international football, most Champions League goals, joint-most Champions League hat-tricks (10), most league hat-tricks (45) - these are a few of the records set by the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star.

Ronaldo, till now, has scored 66 career hat-tricks, among which 44 came for Real Madrid, a record for the Los Blancos. Moreover, he has scored four or more goals in a game a record 11 times, scoring 4 goals in a game nine times and 5 goals twice.

However, compared with Lionel Messi, 29 of Ronaldo's 66 career hat-tricks included a penalty.