Michał Probierz's Poland are all set to face Ronald Koeman's Netherlands in the group-stage match of the UEFA Euro 2024 at the Volksparkstadion, Humburg in Germany on 16th June 2024. Poland qualified via a playoff but the Dutches qualified comfortably and are now looking for their second European title. From possible starting XIs to Fantasy predictions, here is everything you need to know about the Poland vs Netherlands match in the UEFA Euro 2024.

Read Also: Denmark vs Slovenia UEFA Euro 2024 Match Preview, Head-to-head, Possible Lineups and Fantasy XI Prediction

Match Details

• Match: Poland vs Netherlands - UEFA Euro 2024

• Date: 16/6/2024

• Time: 6:30 pm

• Venue: Volksparkstadion, Germany

How to watch the Poland vs Netherlands UEFA Euro 2024 match?

Adding a touch of Oranje to Hamburg. 🌆🧡#NothingLikeOranje #POLNED pic.twitter.com/X86IsTkwCQ

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) June 15, 2024

The Live streaming of the match between Poland and Netherlands will be on the Sony Liv app. The Poland vs Netherlands football match will also be telecast live on the Sony Sports TV network in India.

Poland vs Netherlands: Head-to-Head stats

Poland and the Netherlands have faced each other 17 times. The Netherlands have been the dominant side, winning 5 of those 6 matches. Poland have never beaten the Dutches.

• Matches: 6
• Poland won: 0
• Netherlands won: 5
• Draws won: 1

Read Also: UEFA Euro 2024: Top scorers of every Euro Cup

Team News

Poland

Poland are coming into this game after maintaining a five-match winning streak. This is their fifth consecutive major tournament, and they hope to progress to the next round despite a tough group-stage draw. 

But, Robert Lewandowski's recent injury is a huge concern for them. Lewandowski is Poland's top scorer at the Euros, netting five of their 11 goals. Juventus striker Arkadiusz Milik is ruled out by a knee injury too. Michal Probierz will start up front. Defender Pawel Dawidowicz and striker Karol Swiderski also suffered injuries ahead of Sunday’s game. Swiderseki returned to first-team training on Friday, but Dawidowicz is still training alone and much less likely to play.

Karol Swiderski could play as a 'false nine' or Krzysztof Piatek will play as an attacking midfielder just behind Probierz. Wojciech Szczesny will start in goal, while another Italy-based star, Piotr Zielinski is set to begin in midfield. He can easily drive the ball at his feet while dribbling past opponents. Zielinski also brings experience to the side after playing for them in 90 matches since his breakthrough in 2013. 

"We know how strong the Netherlands are. We have respect for them, but we are not afraid of them. There has been progress in Robert Lewandowski's recovery, so we hope he will come back for the game against Austria. Our tactics? If we go into the game just to survive, it won't work. We have a plan and I hope we will stick to it. We have prepared our players well in terms of analyzing our opponents; we have shown them clips from 20 Netherlands games," Michał Probierz said in the pre-match press conference.

Netherlands

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was part of the Dutch side that won the last EURO held in Germany, beating the USSR 2-0 in the 1988 final. Marco van Basten's memorable volley helped them to lift the trophy. The Dutches will take part in their 11th European Championship. 

Step by step, #EURO2024 is getting closer. 👀#NothingLikeOranje #POLNED pic.twitter.com/KPQhdk6BdH

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) June 15, 2024

Captain Virgil van Dijk scored in both warm-up wins and is set to lead the backline with Nathan Ake and Van de Ven. De Ligt could also start but it will depend on Koeman completely. He has too many options at the back. But, the midfield is the concerning part for the Dutches. Frenkie de Jong is injured. Xavi Simons is starting and will be accompanied by Reijnders, Veerman, and Schouten. 

Koeman will probably pick either Memphis Depay or Brian Brobbey as their focal point, with Wout Weghorst coming off the bench late in the second half. Marten De Roon and Teun Koopmeiners are also on the sidelines. Full-back Ian Maatsen was called up as cover after De Jong's injury.

Can you feel it, getting stronger. 📈🥵#NothingLikeOranje #POLNED pic.twitter.com/4EUCZPwjI1

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) June 15, 2024

It will be interesting to see who will start between Inter's Denzel Dumfries and Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong. Frimpong had a far better season than Dumfries but the Milan full-back has more experience with the National team.

"Every opponent [in the group] is difficult: maybe not at the same quality level as France, which is the second match, but Poland is a well-organized, strong, defensively solid team. They are physically strong and, of course, always have several [talented] players in midfield. So we shouldn't assume we are going to win the first game easily. We will have to be very fit and sharp for that," Ronald Koeman said in the pre-match press conference.

#POLNED 👈 @RonaldKoeman #NothingLikeOranje #CreateHistory pic.twitter.com/8lgF9HLXWP

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) June 14, 2024

Possible XIs 

Poland's possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Bednarek, Dawidowicz, Kiwior; Slisz; Frankowski, Zielinski, Piotrowski, Szymanski, Zalewski; Swiderski

Netherlands' possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Dijk, Ake, Van de Ven; Schouten, Veerman; Simons, Reijnders, Cody Gakpo; Depay

Poland vs Netherlands Fantasy XI Prediction

Szczesny; Dumfries, Van Dijk, Ake, Van de Ven; Schouten, Zielinski, Veerman, Simons; Gakpo, Depay

Hello and welcome to our LIVE blog of the Crystal Palace vs Liverpool FC Community Shield 2025 match. 

This is Barnali Debnath, who will bring you all the LIVE updates of the Crystal Palace vs Liverpool FC season opener at Wembley Stadium in the United Kingdom.

FA Cup winners Crystal Palace will take on Liverpool FC, the Premier League champions, in the season opener. Every penny generated from the match will go to all the 124 clubs that participated in the FA Cup 2024/25 from round one.

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

Crystal Palace have already played six pre-season games and won three of them. They lost twice and drew once in those six games.

Read Also: FA Cup 2024-25 new format: No replays from next season

Meantime, Liverpool have played five games in the pre-season and won three of them while losing and drawing once. So, as we get ready for the match, relax and enjoy the match.

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.

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.

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

#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.

Read Also | Most Valuable Football Players In 2025: Who is Worth the Big Bucks?

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. 

Read Also | Football facts: Son-father footballer duo to play for national teams

#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.

Read Also | Last 10 European Golden Shoe winners List

#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.

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

#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.

The 21st century has been a golden age for football, filled with breathtaking talents and goal-scoring giants. It gave us the legends whose legacy can never be matched, and moments to cherish for the longest time. 

The footballers indeed took this sport to another level, shaping the modern era with passion and brilliance. Join us as we count down the highest-scoring footballers in the 21st century, celebrating their remarkable journey.

13. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (408 goals) | Netherlands

• Goals: 408
• Matches: 738
• Position: Forward

Securing the 13th position is Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar with 408 goals in 738 matches. He made his international debut in 2006 and was widely known for his lethal finishing. He reached the 2010 World Cup Final, where they ended up as runners-up.

Huntelaar won multiple Dutch Cups and Eredivisie titles for Ajax. He had a rollercoaster-like club journey, with his stints for AC Milan and Real Madrid. He later became a fan favourite for FC Schalke 04, where he was the Bundesliga's top scorer in 2011-12.

Breakdown of Huntelaar's goals:

Read Also: 11 players who have won the most trophies in football history.

12. Samuel Eto'o (424 goals) | Cameroon

• Goals: 424
• Matches: 872
• Position: Forward

Cameroon's iconic striker and all-time leading goal-scorer, Samuel Eto'o, holds the 12th spot with 424 goals in 872 matches, after his international debut in 1997.

From winning an Olympic gold medal in 2000 to leading the Indomitable Lions to back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (2000, 2002) and winning 3 La Liga titles and 2 Champions League titles (2006, 2009) for Barcelona, he has done it all.

He then moved to Inter Milan and achieved a historic treble in 2010, winning Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and another Champions League under Jose Mourinho. Samuel is the only player to win back-to-back trebles with different clubs.

Breakdown of Samuel's goals:

11. David Villa (426 goals) | Spain

• Goals: 426
• Matches: 827
• Position: Forward

The former Spanish footballer, David Villa, holds the 10th position with 426 goals in 827 matches. He made his international debut in 2005 and has been unstoppable ever since. He was a crucial part of Spain's 2010 World Cup triumph, where his 5 goals made him a joint top scorer.

Villa also found immense success in his club career, where he won numerous titles for Barcelona, including the UEFA Champions League in 2011 and 2 La Liga titles. He also won another La Liga title with Atletico Madrid.

Additionally, he holds the record of being Spain's all-time top scorer, which is unmatched even years after his retirement (in 2019).

Breakdown of Villa's goals:

Read Also: Trophies won by Spain in International Football (Men's)

10. Sergio Aguero (426 goals) | Argentina

• Goals: 426
• Matches: 786
• Position: Forward

Sergio Aguero is an impressive Argentinian footballer who made his international debut in 2006, scoring 426 goals in 786 matches.

He won the 2021 Copa America with the national team, but unfortunately missed the chance to be a part of the World Cup-winning squad of 2022.

He became an icon for Manchester City, transforming into the leading goal-scorer, who played a key part in securing their first Premier League title in 44 years in 2012.

After that famous victory, he never looked back and went on to win 6 Premier League titles, 6 League Cups, and one FA Cup. He also holds the most Premier League hat-tricks (12 times).

Breakdown of Aguero's goals:

Read Also: Football facts: Players with the most Champions League finals without winning it ever.

9. Neymar Jr. (442 goals) | Brazil

• Goals: 442
• Matches: 731
• Position: Forward

Neymar is the only Brazilian footballer to make it to the top 10 of this list, with 442 goals in 731 matches. After his international debut in 2010, he quickly became the face of the national team.

He is now Brazil's all-time leading scorer, surpassing legendary Pele's long-standing record.

Neymar led Brazil to win an Olympic gold medal in 2016 and won the Confederations Cup in 2013. He also did brilliantly at club level, playing for Barcelona and PSG, and later moving to Al-Hilal and Santos.

Neymar is hands down the most exciting and effective attacker of his generation, who is equally fun to watch!

Read Also | Football facts: Brazil fails without Neymar! These stats prove that.

Breakdown of Neymar's goals:

8. Edinson Cavani (456 goals) | Uruguay

• Goals: 456
• Matches: 865
• Position: Forward

The Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, who debuted internationally in 2008, scored 456 goals in 865 matches, which earned him the deserved spot here. He played a key role in Uruguay's 2011 Copa America win.

His scoring rate and passion made him the leading goal-scorer for Paris Saint-Germain (a record later surpassed by Kylian Mbappe). During his time at PSG, he won a collection of trophies, including six Ligue 1 titles, four French Cups, and five French League Cups.

Cavani also had successful spells at Napoli, Manchester United, and Valencia.

Breakdown of Cavani's goals:

7. Harry Kane (461) | England

• Goals: 461
• Matches: 714
• Position: Forward

Breaking into the top goalscorers and finally breaking his much-discussed trophy drought is England's captain, Harry Kane, with an impressive 461 goals in 714 appearances.

After his debut in 2015, he quickly established himself due to his all-around striking ability, pinpoint passing, and other skills.

For years, Kane's individual excellence, including winning multiple Premier League Golden Boots, was paired with an absence of team silverware. This narrative finally changed in 2025, after his transfer to Bayern Munich, where he played a pivotal role in their dominant 2024-25 Bundesliga title win.

Breakdown of Kane's goals:

Read Also: Is 2025 the miraculous year in sports history?

6. Karim Benzema (495 goals) | France

• Goals: 495
• Matches: 955
• Position: Forward

France and Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema is currently the sixth in the list of highest scoring footballers in the 21st century. One part of the famous B-B-C trio of Real Madrid, Benzema, is the second-highest goal scorer in Real Madrid's history. 

Till now, in his club career, the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner and five-time UEFA Champions League winner has scored 458 goals in 858 matches. 

For France, before hanging up his international boots, he had scored 37 times in 97 appearances for Les Bleus. 

Read Also | 11 players who have won the most trophies in football history

5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (558 goals) | Sweden

• Goals: 558
• Matches: 949
• Position: Forward

Entering the Top 5 of highest scoring footballers in the 21st century is the Swedish maestro Zlatan Ibrahimovic with 558 goals in 949 matches. He was widely recognised for his boldness, acrobatic finishes and lively personality.

In his 10 years for Sweden (2006-2016), he became the top scorer with 62 goals, most likely to remain unmatched for a long time. He represented his nation in multiple World Cups and European Cups.

Zlatan won league titles with Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, and PSG. He also had a notable spell at Manchester United, winning the Europa League.

Moving on to his legendary individual records, he won the FIFA Puskas Award in 2013 for his phenomenal overhead kick against England. He is also the only player to score 50 Serie A goals for both Inter Milan and AC Milan.

Breakdown of Zlatan's goals:

4. Luis Suarez (574 goals) | Uruguay

• Goals: 574
• Matches: 972
• Position: Forward

Uruguay's all-time leading goalscorer, Luis Suarez, makes his way to fourth rank with 574 goals in 972 matches. Known for his incredible skills and finishing, he was always a central figure in his nation's success since his debut in 2007.

Suarez won the 2011 Copa America and helped them reach the WTC semi-final in 2010. His club career is equally impressive. After winning the Dutch Cup with Ajax, he moved to Liverpool, becoming a Premier League top-scorer and earning a European Golden Shoe.

His prime time arrived at Barcelona, where he formed a fearsome attacking trio with Messi and Neymar. With Barcelona, he won La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey trophy, as well as the Champions League in 2015.

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

Breakdown of Suarez's goals:

3. Robert Lewandowski (695 goals) | Poland

• Goals: 695 goals
• Matches: 981
• Position: Forward

Coming in at no. 3 is the Polish goal-machine, Robert Lewandowski, with 695 goals in 981 matches. He swiftly became his nation's all-time top scorer with the kind of positioning skills and consistency he has.

He made his international debut in 2008 and became one of the most celebrated Polish footballers of this century. He won two Bundesliga titles at Borussia Dortmund and later moved to Bayern Munich, where he cemented his status as one of the greatest strikers.

Lewandowski holds astonishing goal-scoring records, such as surpassing Gerd Muller's record for most goals in a single Bundesliga season (41 goals in 2020-21) and became the tournament's leading foreign scorer.

He also won two consecutive European Golden Shoes and 2 FIFA Best Men's Player awards.

Breakdown of Lewandowski's goals:

Read Also: Football teams with the most international trophies.s

2. Lionel Messi (866 goals) | Argentina

• Goals: 886
• Matches: 1108
• Position: Forward 

Probably the most anticipated name on the list, Argentina's golden boy, Lionel Messi, holds the 2nd position with a staggering 866 goals in 1108 matches. Having made his international debut in 2005, he had a career full of greatness, which shaped the modern era of football.

From Copa America glory to the 2022 World Cup triumph, which made the dreams of millions come true, there is not a single title left for him to fill his cabinet. He spent the majority of his career at the club level at Barcelona, becoming their all-time leading scorer.

Messi's unimaginable dribbling and scoring prowess earned him eight Ballon d'Or awards (which is the most by any player) and six European Golden Shoes. He also holds the record for most goals in a calendar year (91 in 2012).

It is really difficult to put the legacy of the greatest of all time into words and summarise in a couple of paragraphs!

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Breakdown of Messi's goals:

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1. Cristiano Ronaldo (938 goals) | Portugal

• Goals: 938
• Matches: 1281
• Position: Forward

Crowning the list as the highest scoring footballer in the 21st century is Portugal's indomitable Cristiano Ronaldo with 938 goals in 1281 matches. Following his debut in 2003, he was unstoppable and reached heights with his scoring talent.

He led Portugal to their first major international title (UEFA European Championship) in 2016 and followed it with the Nations League in 2019 and 2025. At club level, he won multiple titles with Manchester United, and later moved to Real Madrid, where he became the leading scorer.

Read Also | Every single trophy Cristiano Ronaldo has won in his career

Ronaldo's hunger for goals saw him achieve five Ballon d'Or awards and four European Golden Shoes.

His fitness and dedication to this game help him maintain an elite level of goal scoring in his late 30s, making him one of the greatest in the history of this sport.

Breakdown of Ronaldo's goals:

In Europe, the Champions League is seen as the most demanding title among players, managers, and clubs from all over Europe. The Giant clubs compete for this specific trophy every year, with the prestige and financial rewards received from the tournament being among the biggest in club football.

Achieving success in this competition is usually seen by most players and managers as the benchmark of club-level achievement in Europe. For many managers, winning the Champions League is the ultimate goal.

Some managers, however, have managed to win the competition multiple times, some with multiple teams as well. Without further due, here are the interesting football facts of the five managers with the most Champions League titles.

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Football Facts: Managers with the most UCL titles 

Pep Guardiola | 3 Champions League titles

Many regard Pep Guardiola as the greatest manager of his generation due to his success with all the clubs he has managed. The Spanish manager has won the competition thrice in his managerial career, two times with FC Barcelona and once with Manchester City.

Guardiola won his first Champions League title in his first season in charge of Barcelona, with his side defeating Manchester United 2-0 in 2008-09 as part of their first-ever treble. The former Barcelona midfielder was 38 years old at the time, making him the youngest manager to win the competition to date.

He won his second title two years later in the 2010-11 season, defeating the same opponent 3-1 in the final. Lionel Messi was the star of both triumphs, scoring both times.

Then he managed Bayern but wasn't able to bring any Champions League titles to the German Club. Finally, his 12-year wait came to an end when Manchester City defeated Inter Milan 1-0 in the Final of the UCL 2022-23 season.

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

Zinedine Zidane | 3 Champions League titles

Zinedine Zidane led Real Madrid in its most dominant period of the 21st century. The Frenchman won three titles with Los Blancos in three years in charge of the club.

Zidane won his first title just four months after he replaced Rafael Benitez as manager of Real Madrid. He led the side to defeat Atletico Madrid on penalties in the 2015-16 final.

The next season, Real Madrid defeated Juventus 4-1 in the final for their 12th crown.

Zidane led Real Madrid to a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the 2017-18 final. The Frenchman is the only manager in history to win the competition three consecutive times. He is also the first and only French manager to win the competition to date.

Bob Paisley | 3 European Cups

Bob Paisley was a Liverpool soccer player, manager, and administrator for almost 50 years. 

No football manager demonstrated the art of leading quietly and without ego more than Bob Paisley. He won twenty trophies in nine years for Liverpool Football Club between 1974 and 1983.

He brought 3 European Cups, six League Championships (including three in a row in 1981, 1982, and 1983), three League Cups, 6 Charity Shields, one UEFA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.

Paisley is the only British manager to win the European Cup three times. Bob is now regarded as one of the best soccer managers of all time.

Carlo Ancelotti | 5 Champions League titles

Carlo Ancelotti is one of football's managerial greats of the 21st century. The Italian manager has won five Champions League titles in his time as a manager, having also won the competition twice as a player.

Ancelotti won his first Champions League title in the 2002-03 season with AC Milan as his side defeated Juventus on penalties in the final. He won his second title in the 2006-07 season as AC Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1.

Ancelotti won his third title with Real Madrid in the 2013-14 season after his side defeated Atlético Madrid 4-1. His fourth title came in the 2021-22 season with Real Madrid once again after a 1-0 victory over Liverpool.

He completed his fifth win in the Champions League as a manager in the 2023-24 season when Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund by 2-0 in the final.

The Italian manager is also the only manager to win all of Europe's top five leagues.

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Football Facts: Managers with the most UCL titles (Top Ten)