Some players are famous for scoring goals, while some are famous for creating. However, sometimes football teams are blessed with such players who can do both things.
There are players with incredible goal-scoring skills as well as creative skills, and these players are rare. They bring so much value to the team that they become irreplaceable. In this article, we look at the players who have had the most goal contributions since 2001.
Keep in mind that this stat is made from the Top 5 Leagues in Europe and National & International competitions.
Read Also: Players With the Most Assists In Football History
Players with the most goal contributions (2001-2010)
Year | Player | Teams | Goals + Assists |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | Rivaldo | Barcelona, Brazil | 46 |
2002 | Raul | Real Madrid, Spain | 42 |
2003 | Thierry Henry | Arsenal, France | 60 |
2004 | Thierry Henry | Arsenal, France | 55 |
2005 | R. Makay | Bayern, Netherlands | 51 |
2006 | Ronaldinho | Barcelona, Brazil | 50 |
2007 | F. Totti | AS Roma, Italy | 47 |
2008 | L. Toni | Bayern, Italy | 50 |
2009 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, Argentina | 56 |
2010 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, Argentina | 58 |
Two decades earlier than the present, the table looks well shuffled with no names popping off more than twice. However, little did we know that the 2009 season was just the start of the little magician's dominance in world football.
His impact on Pep Guardiola's Barcelona team was simply incomparable.
Thierry Henry is the only other player besides Messi who managed to be the top contributor twice in consecutive seasons. He was part of the golden generation of Arsenal, who won the Premier League title undefeated.
Read Also | Highest scoring footballers of the 21st century
Players with the most goal contributions (2011-2023)

Year | Player | Teams | Goals + Assists |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, Argentina | 77 |
2012 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, Argentina | 104 |
2013 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, Argentina | 76 |
2014 | C. Ronaldo | Real Madrid, Portugal | 68 |
2015 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, Argentina | 88 |
2016 | Luis Suarez | Barcelona, Uruguay | 81 |
2017 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, Argentina | 72 |
2018 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, Argentina | 63 |
2019 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona, Argentina | 71 |
2020 | R. Lewandowski | Bayern, Poland | 65 |
2021 | R. Lewandowski | Bayern, Poland | 56 |
2022 | Kylian Mbappe | PSG, France | 65 |
2023 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City, Norway | 60 |
2024 | Harry Kane | FC Bayern Munich, England | 56 |
2025 | Raphinha | FC Barcelona, Brazil | 59 |
Clearly, in the two charts, Lionel Messi is simply the most dominant player in the world.
He has appeared a record 9 times in the list, more than any player during this time period. However, Luis Suarez was the only player who sneaked into the table during the prime time of Messi and Ronaldo.
Read Also | Top 10 players with the Most goals in a single season
Lionel Messi's 2012 season still remains a record for the most goals scored in a calendar year (91). Erling Haaland had a fantastic 2022-23 season with Manchester City as he won the European treble and scored 52 goals.
In 2024, Harry Kane's transfer to FC Bayern Munich came in handy for him as he finished with 56 goal contributions in that season. The 2024-25 season saw Raphinha emerge at the top of the list with 59 goal contributions for FC Barcelona and Brazil.