Highest scoring international players since 2020: Messi third, Ronaldo fourth… | OneFootball

Stars from Argentina, England and Portugal are among the top scorers in international football since the year 2020, but who comes out on top?

Scoring goals is the aim of the game and having a prolific forward at international level can make all the difference.

Since the year 2000, here are the seven highest-scoring players in international football.

1. Erling Haaland – 55 goals

Who else?

Since the start of 2020, no player has scored more goals on the international stage than Haaland has for Norway.

During that timeframe, he’s scored 55 goals in 46 matches and is currently on track to break all sorts of scoring records.

Following his latest brace against Italy, he’s now scored 17 goals in nine appearances for Norway during 2025 alone. Scary numbers.

2. Harry Kane – 46 goals

When it comes to scoring charts, Kane’s name usually isn’t far away from the top spot.

The 32-year-old has been looking incredibly sharp of late and will be England’s talisman at the World Cup next summer.

“The way he keeps on producing these numbers is unbelievable and it is credit to him,” Thomas Tuchel said following Kane’s latest brace.

“He is the first on and last off the training pitch. He is our biggest hope going into next year.”

3. Lionel Messi – 45 goals

Unsurprisingly, Messi’s highest-scoring year since 2020 came back in 2022 when he carried Argentina to World Cup glory.

Along with scoring 45 goals over the past five years, he’s also produced 20 assists and is averaging a goal contribution every 75 minutes.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo – 44 goals

Still going strong at the age of 40, Ronaldo certainly knows how to put the ball in the back of the net.

He was Portugal’s top scorer during their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign and will no doubt have a key role to play at the tournament next summer.

With 143 goals for Portugal in total, he’s scored 28 more goals on the international stage than any other player has managed.

5. Kylian Mbappe – 42 goals

Having scored 42 goals over the past five years, Mbappe is now only three strikes away from becoming France’s outright all-time top scorer.

The 26-year-old will be licking his lips at the prospect of the World Cup next year, particularly with how good he’s been for club and country this season.

6. Romelu Lukaku – 37 goals

Lukaku didn’t score a single international goal during the calendar year of 2022, but still makes this list with 37 goals over the past five years.

He’s Belgium’s all-time top scorer with 89 goals in toal, which is more than double any other Belgium player has ever scored.

7. Memphis Depay – 36 goals

When on international duty, Depay often steps up.

The Netherlands are renowned for producing world-class number nines and Depay has scored more goals for his country than any of the legends who came before him.

He’s still making a difference for them on the international stage to this day, having scored 36 goals in his last 55 appearances.