The representation of India in international football games has increased and improved a lot. They are getting recognition and support slowly but steadily. Even their performances have improved on many levels which are attracting audiences towards them. Indian footballers are shedding their blood and sweat in making the team successful and all they need is support from the Indian fans and they will continue giving their best as always. Here is a list of the top 8 Indian footballers who scored the most international goals.

Read also: Subho Paul: Teen Bengali footballer selected in FC Bayern World squad

1. Sunil Chhetri

Sunil Chhetri the brightest star of the Indian football team plays as a striker in the team. The captain of the team has glorified his nation globally by being the second-highest active goal-scoring in the world. He has suppressed the G.O.A.T of football, Lionel Messi, and scored 74 goals in 118 International games. He generally plays in the forward position. The captain made his debut in 2005 and till then he has received 115 international caps for India. Chhetri is the first recipient of the Football Ratna Award by the Delhi Football Association. Also, he received prestigious awards like Arjuna Award and Padma Shri.

2. IM Vijayan

The highest goal scorer in the early 2000s is I.M. Vijayan. He started his International Football career in 1989 and retired in 2004. Until his retirement, he was the highest goal scorer. In the last years of his career, he played in 79 International matches and scored 40 goals. He was nicknamed Kalo Harin as well. In the late 90s and early 2000s, his partnership with Baichung Bhutia has been very successful in attacking. He also received 66 International caps for India. Vijayan played as a striker. In 1993, 1997, and 1999 he received the Indian Player of the Year. The former footballer has been awarded Arjuna Award and he is also a nominee of 2020 Padma Shri. He scored 29 goals in 66 games and enlisted his name in the second position.

Read also: Players With the Most Assists In Football History

3. Baichung Bhutia

Baichung Bhutia has been one of the footballers who strengthen the Indian team. He joined the Indian football team in 1995 and retired in 2011. Due to his immense contribution to the team, he has been described as "God's gift to Indian football" by I.M. Vijayan. He made his International debut at the very young age of 19 against Thailand. He scored his first goal against Uzbekistan in the 1995 Nehru cup and became India's youngest goalscorer. From 1995 to 2011, he became the second Indian footballer with the most International caps. During these years, he played in 82 games and scored 27 goals, and became the third-highest goal scorer from India. The former Indian footballer has been awarded AIFF Player of the Year in 1995 and 2008, Arjuna Award in 1998 Padma Shri in 2008 Asian Football Hall of Fame in 2014, and Banga Bhushan in 2014.

4. Jeje Lalpekhlua

In 2011, Jeje Lalpekhlua join the Indian football team and till now he has played 56 games and scored 23 goals. In the Indian Super League he is the second highest Indian goal scorer as well. His position in the field is forward. He is also the 11th Indian footballer with the most International caps with 56 caps.

5. Shabbir Ali

Shabbir Ali is a former Indian footballer who joined the team in 1974 and retired in 1984 after playing for 10 years in the team. He has been the captain of the Indian football team in Asian Youth, pre-Olympics, Nehru Cup, Merdeka and King's Cup tournaments. During the 1970s and 1980s he was considered as the best Indian footballer. During his time he was undoubtedly the finest striker of the team and had the ability to goal at crucial points as well. He also scored a hat-trick against Indonesia in the 1976 Mardeka international football tournament within the very first 35 minutes. His career has been phenomenal and he has also been awarded with Dhyan Chand award and India's best football coach. In these 10 years he played 66 games and scored 23 goals.

6. Magan Rajvi

Magan Rajvi is a former Indian footballer who has also been the captain of the team in 1973 and 1974. He has also scored a hat-trick against Thailand in the 1974 Merdeka Cup. In 33 games he scored 15 goals and became the 6th footballer on this list. He is a bronze medalist and received the medal in the 1970 Asian Games. The former captain of the Indian football team has also received Arjuna Award in 1973.

Read also: 5 memorable performances by Indian football teams in Asian competitions

7. PK Banerjee

The former Indian footballer P. K. Banerjee played as a striker in the team. He has also been the captain of the team and coach as well. The Arjuna Award was instituted in 1961 and he is one of the first recipients to receive the prestigious award. He has also received Padma Shri and FIFA Order of Merit. IFFHS also named him the Indian footballer of the 20th century. The former captain represented the Indian National team in three Asian games. During his career, he played 45 games and scored 15 goals.

8. Neville D'Souza

The 8th Indian footballer to score the most number of goals is Neville D'Souza. He became the first Asian player who scored a hat-trick in the Olympics. In the tournament he finished as the joint top scorer. He scored a total of four goals in three games which also includes a hattrick against Australia. In his football career he played 15 games and scored 11 goals.

Various international women's football players have cemented themselves in history books by achieving remarkable records. At the forefront is Canada's Christine Sinclair, an iconic figure in women's football

This collection of players and their impressive accomplishments underscore the development of women's football and the extraordinary talent that has emerged within the sport over the years. Let’s take a closer look at these stellar performers

Read Also: Real Madrid's Top 5 most expensive signings of all time

Babra Bander: Zambia- 7 

From the streets of Lusaka to the global stage, Barbra Banda’s journey is a testament to determination and raw talent. Born in Zambia’s capital, Banda started playing football at the tender age of seven. But her early sporting prowess wasn’t confined to just football.

Inspired by renowned Zambian boxer Catherine Phiri, Banda also dabbled in boxing at 14, quickly making a name for herself. She dominated the amateur scene, and after winning every bout and seeing other fighters hesitant to face her, Banda turned professional, where she won all five of her matches. However, football eventually took center stage in her life.

In October 2018, Banda signed with Spain's first division club, EDF Logroño, becoming the first Zambian woman to play football in Europe. Her career continued to soar when, in March 2024, she joined the Orlando Pride in the United States, signing a four-year contract that would keep her with the club until 2027.

Her impact on the international stage began early. Banda played for Zambia’s U-17 women’s team at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, turning 14 during the tournament. Two years later, on March 6, 2016, she made her senior team debut in a Women’s Nations Cup qualifier against Namibia.

The peak of her career came at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Banda captained the Zambian national team as they made their debut appearance at the prestigious tournament. She became the first woman to score consecutive hat-tricks in Olympic history, netting three goals in a 3-10 loss to the Netherlands, she scored another three in a 4-4 draw against China. These performances also made her the first woman to score two hat-tricks in a single Olympic tournament.

Read Also: I didn't set a date or a deadline": Lionel Messi hints at retirement after hat-trick against BoliviaFIFA World Cup 2026: Teams qualified so far

Michelle Akers: United States of America- 7

🇺🇸 @MichelleAkers10
👕 No10 in 1999, 1995 and 1991

All-time #FIFAWWC record
Games: 13
Goals: 12 pic.twitter.com/XlnsSkLXAe

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) June 1, 2024

The name Michelle Akers is synonymous with U.S. women’s soccer dominance. With seven career hat-tricks, Akers helped the U.S. win the inaugural 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup, leading the tournament with 10 goals, including five in a single game.

Her leading the team was crucial to the U.S. women's team securing its first-ever world title, and she later played a vital role in the 1999 World Cup and 1996 Olympics victories. 

Akers was also the lead scorer in the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup in China in 1991. The U.S. women's team defeated Norway 2–1 in the final with Akers scoring both goals.

Ali Al-Biski: Libya - 7

Ali Al-Biski, a former Libyan footballer, played as a striker and holds the record as Libya's all-time top scorer despite the nation’s limited participation in FIFA events during his time. He led the Libyan Premier League in scoring twice—first in 1965 with Al-Madina SC, and again in 1968 with Al Ahli Tripoli. He recorded seven hat-tricks for the national team.

Pelé: Brazil - 7

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, famously known as Pelé, was a Brazilian forward and a football icon, widely hailed as one of the greatest players in history. With a Guinness World Record for 1,279 goals in 1,363 games (including friendlies), Pelé was named Athlete of the Century by the IOC in 1999 and featured in Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He debuted for Santos at 15 and for Brazil at 16, winning three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970) and scoring seven hat-tricks for Brazil.

Sándor Kocsis: Hungary - 7

Sándor Kocsis, a Hungarian striker, played for Ferencvárosi TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, and FC Barcelona. After relocating to Spain post-1956 Hungarian Revolution, Kocsis joined Barcelona’s squad. He led the 1954 World Cup with a record 11 goals, scoring 23 times for Hungary that year—a single-year record. Kocsis was also the first player to achieve two hat-tricks in a World Cup.

Cristiane: Brazil- 8

Brazilian forward Cristiane stands alongside the greats, boasting eight hat-tricks throughout her career. A prolific goal scorer, she played a key role in Brazil's silver medal triumphs at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Cristiane has participated in five FIFA Women’s World Cups and four Olympics, with her most recent hat-trick coming in Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Jamaica at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Ali Daei: Iran - 8

Iranian striker and former national team captain, Ali Daei, was renowned as the world’s top scorer in official internationals per the IFFHS, netting 20 goals in 1996. During the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, he scored nine goals over 17 matches, amassing 38 goals in 52 appearances by that time. In 2004, he became the first male to score 100 international goals, reaching 102 with a four-goal game against Laos.

Gerd Müller: Germany - 8

Gerd Müller, a prolific German striker known for his precision in the penalty area, is considered one of football’s top scorers. With West Germany, he scored 68 goals in 62 games. For Bayern Munich, he scored 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga matches and 65 goals in 74 European games, holding a league scoring record. Müller’s eight hat-tricks include two in the 1970 World Cup.

Poul Nielsen: Denmark - 8

Danish striker Poul Nielsen scored 52 goals in 38 games, sharing Denmark’s top-scoring record. He earned a silver medal at the 1912 Olympics and led Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB) to six Danish championships. Scoring eight hat-tricks in international play, Nielsen was an iconic figure for Denmark until his death in 1962.

Abby Wambach: United States of America- 8

Mary Abigail Wambach, born on June 2, 1980, is a retired American soccer player, coach, and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee. A six-time recipient of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award, Wambach was a key player for the U.S. women’s national team from 2003 to 2015.

She earned her first international cap in 2001 and, as a forward, became the highest all-time goal scorer for the U.S. national team. Globally, she ranks second in international goals for both men and women with 184 goals, trailing only Canada's Christine Sinclair.

Wambach competed in four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments: the 2003 edition in the U.S., the 2007 event in China, the 2011 tournament in Germany, and the 2015 competition in Canada. She also represented the U.S. in the 2004 Athens and 2012 London Olympics.

Throughout these five major international tournaments, Wambach played 30 matches and netted 22 goals. She helped her team secure two Olympic gold medals, third-place finishes twice at the Women's World Cup, a second-place finish in 2011, and ultimately, a World Cup victory in 2015.

Read Also: FIFA World Cup 2026: Teams qualified so far

Carli Lloyd: United States of America- 9

Carli Lloyd is another legend of international football, having represented the U.S. from 2012 to 2021. Over her remarkable career, she earned two Olympic gold medals (in 2008 and 2012) and won two FIFA Women's World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. In addition, she was named FIFA Player of the Year twice, in 2015 and 2016, and competed in four Olympic Games (2008, 2012, 2016, and 2021).

Lloyd’s capacity for rising to the occasion was evident when she scored the decisive goals in the gold medal matches of both the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. She was also instrumental in the U.S. clinching World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, she also secured a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She played in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the US finished as runners-up.

Ali Mabkhout: UAE - 9

Ali Mabkhout, a forward for Al Nasr and the UAE national team, debuted with Al Jazira in 2009. A pivotal figure in UAE’s 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal win over Australia, he became UAE’s top scorer on October 10, 2019, with a hat-trick against Indonesia in a 5-0 victory.

Sven Rydell: Sweden- 9

Swedish striker Sven Rydell scored 49 goals in 43 matches, a record that stood for over 80 years until broken by Zlatan Ibrahimović in 2014. Rydell’s international career included a bronze medal at the 1924 Olympics, and he holds the Swedish record of nine international hat-tricks.

Vivian Woodward: England - 10

Vivian Woodward, an English forward, starred from the early 1900s to World War I, playing for Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. As Great Britain’s captain, he won gold at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics, recording six hat-tricks for England amateurs and four for England’s national team.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Portugal- 10

At the age of 18, Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal as a substitute against Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003. At UEFA Euro 2004, he scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to Greece in his eighth international appearance.

In 2016, Ronaldo led Portugal to their first-ever trophy at the UEFA Euro 2016, although he was subbed off in the 25th minute in the final against hosts France.He received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer.

In the 2018 World Cup, Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup match, in a 3–3 draw against Spain Cristiano Ronaldo became the first male player to score 10 hat-tricks for a national team on 12 October 2021 in Portugal's 5–0 win against Luxembourg, breaking Sven Rydell's record.

Lionel Messi:Argentina -10

Lionel Messi debuted for Argentina’s U20 team in 2004 and won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. His senior debut came in 2005 at 18. In 2021, he ended Argentina’s 28-year trophy drought with a Copa América win. On October 15, 2024, Messi scored his 10th international hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Bolivia.

Christine Sinclair: Canada- 11

Christine Margaret Sinclair is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Portland Thorns in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). From 2000 until her international retirement in 2023, she was a key member of the Canadian national team. 

Sinclair is an Olympic gold medalist, two-time Olympic bronze medalist, CONCACAF champion, and has won the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award 14 times. She holds the world record for the most international goals scored by any player, male or female, with 190 goals and is among the most-capped players in international soccer, with 331 appearances.

In a career spanning more than two decades with the senior national team, Sinclair has competed in six FIFA Women's World Cups and four Olympic Football Tournaments, leading her team to bronze medals in 2012 and 2016, and to gold in 2020.

She is one of only three players to score in five different World Cup tournaments, alongside Marta and Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2022, Sinclair was honored with the Best FIFA Special Award for her achievement as the world’s top goal scorer.

Notably, Sinclair scored her eleventh international hat-trick during a 2012 Olympic match against the United States, netting all three of Canada’s goals in a 3–4 loss.

Read Also: Most valuable Spanish players in history: Yamal goes past Rodri

Alex Morgan: United States of America- 12 

Alexandra Patricia Morgan, born on July 2, 1989, is a retired American professional soccer player who last played as a striker for San Diego Wave FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), where she served as captain, as well as for the United States national team. She co-captained the U.S. national team with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe from 2018 to 2020, and later with Lindsay Horan in 2023.

Morgan was the first overall pick in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Western New York Flash, where she made her professional debut and contributed to the team's league championship win. At 22, she was the youngest player on the U.S. national team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the team finished as runner-up.

During the 2012 London Olympics, Morgan scored the decisive goal in the 123rd minute of the semi-final against Canada. She ended 2012 with 28 goals and 21 assists, becoming the second American woman, after Mia Hamm, to record 20 goals and 20 assists in a single year. This achievement made her the sixth and youngest U.S. player to reach 20 goals in one season. Morgan was named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year and became a FIFA World Player of the Year finalist.

She played a crucial role in the U.S. team's victories at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cups, earning a spot on the Dream Team in both tournaments and winning the Silver Boot in 2019. Morgan recorded her eleventh international hat-trick with five goals on 11 June 2019 in the United States 13–0 victory over Thailand in the 2019 World

Her record-breaking twelfth international hat-trick came in 2021 against Paraguay in a game where the United States dominated and won 8-0

Hello and welcome to Sportz Point's another coverage of the Durand Cup 2024.

What happened in the game?

Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat Bengaluru FC in the second and final semi-final match of the Durand Cup 2024 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata on 27th August, Tuesday. The Mariners were 2-0 down in the second half but Petratos and Thapa brought their side back in the game and took it to the penalties.

Earlier, Sunil Chhetri and Vinith provided the lead to the Blues but they couldn't held on to it for long. Vishal Kaith then produced two back-to-back saves in the shootout to send the Mariners into the Durand Cup 2024 Final, where they will face the Highlanders.

This was Abishek Goswami, bringing you all the updates from the web desk. 

Follow us on Twitter for all the updates. Join our Telegram and WhatsApp channels to get all the news and scores. 

Here is the highlight of the game..

Mohun Bagan Super Giant will face Bengaluru FC in the second and final semi-final match of the Durand Cup 2024 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata on 27th August, Tuesday. The match will kick off at 5:30 pm IST. The Blues qualified for the semi-final after a 1-0 victory over Kerala Blasters while MBSG qualified following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Punjab FC. The Mariners have a brilliant record against the Blues and they would like to maintain that. Bengaluru FC are playing underrated football and have a good chance to qualify for the final.

Read Also: Historic Win for Odisha FC in their debut at the AFC Women's Champions League 2024

Match Details

• Match: Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Bengaluru FC - Durand Cup 2024 2nd Semi-Final

• Date: 27/8/2024

• Time: 7:00 pm (IST)

• Venue: Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata

Coming up, Durand Cup semi final against @bengalurufc ⚡️#MBSG #JoyMohunBagan #আমরাসবুজমেরুন pic.twitter.com/8YgQrVdRjT

— Mohun Bagan Super Giant (@mohunbagansg) August 25, 2024

The Venue

How to watch the Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Bengaluru FC Durand Cup 2024 match?

The Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Bengaluru FC Durand Cup 2024 quarter-final match will be live telecast on Sony Ten 2 HD. Fans can also watch the Live stream of the match on the Sony LIV app and website.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant vs Bengaluru FC: Head-to-Head Stats

• Games played: 23
• Mohun Bagan Super Giant won: 11
• Bengaluru FC won: 5
• Draws: 7

The last time these two sides met, Mohun Bagan beat Bengaluru FC by 4-0 in an Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 match at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru in April.

Read Also: Who is Amad Diallo? The new Manchester United star?

Injuries

Mohun Bagan’s star striker Jamie Maclaren's selection is still in doubt. Bengaluru FC have a fully fit team available.

Jorge Pereyra Diaz is the man to watch out for in Bengaluru FC’s forward line. He can produce his moment in any situation. He has scored nine goals and provided five assists in 12 appearances in the Durand Cup.

All smiles in the Blues' camp as they build up to a #DurandCup2024 semifinal against the Mariners at the Salt Lake! 😊 #MBSGBFC #WeAreBFC pic.twitter.com/4FctM8xGB9

— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) August 26, 2024

Possible Lineups

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

Vishal Kaith (GK); Tom Aldred, Alberto Rodriguez, Subhasish Bose; Manvir Singh, Abhishek Suryavanshi, Lalangmawia Ralte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Liston Colaco; Dimitri Petratos, Jason Cummings

Bengaluru FC

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Nikhil Poojary, Rahul Bheke, Aleksandar Jovanovic, Naorem Roshan Singh; Suresh Singh, Pedro Payeras, Alberto Noguera; Shivaldo Singh, Sivasakthi Narayanan, Jorge Pereyra Diaz

Semifinal set! 💪#WeAreBFC #MBSGBFC #DurandCup2024 pic.twitter.com/gGKedP1a09

— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) August 26, 2024

Fantasy XI Prediction

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Nikhil Poojary, Subhasish Bose, Alberto Rodriguez, Rahul Bheke; Sahal Abdul Samad, Alberto Noguera, Liston Colaco; Dmitri Petratos, Jason Cummings, Jorge Pereyra Diaz

Hello and welcome to Sportz Point's another coverage of the Durand Cup 2024.

Shillong Lajong FC will face NorthEast United in the first semi-final of the Durand Cup 2024 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Football Stadium in Shillong. The match will kick off at 5:30 pm IST. 

The Red Dragons defeated East Bengal while the Highlanders beat Army Red in the quarter-finals to reach the semi-final.

This is Abishek Goswami and Koushik Biswas who will bring you all the updates from the web desk. 

Follow us on Twitter for all the updates. Join our Telegram and WhatsApp channels to get all the news and scores. 

Stay tuned for all the live updates.

Hello and welcome to Sportz Point's another coverage of the Durand Cup 2024.

Bengaluru FC beat Kerala Blasters FC by 1-0 in the fourth and final quarter-final match of the Durand Cup 2024 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata on 23rd August, Friday. The Blues qualified for the semi-final and will face the Mariners on 27th August 2024 in Kolkata.

Jorge Pereyra Diaz's stoppage time goal helped the Blues secure their spot in the semis.

This was Abishek Goswami, bringing you all the updates from the web desk. 

Follow us on Twitter for all the updates. Join our Telegram and WhatsApp channels to get all the news and scores. 

Here is the highlight of the game.