The 29 all-time highest goalscorers across Europe’s top five leagues have been revealed, with players from La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and the Premier League going head-to-head for over a century for a place among the greatest domestic marksmen in football history.

Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominate the standings, but the gap between the two icons at the top is far closer than many would expect, with just one goal separating them. Both superstars have every right to believe they belong in the conversation as the greatest players the beautiful game has ever produced.

Elsewhere, the ranking throws up plenty of surprising inclusions and omissions, with some legendary names missing out while others have earned their place among the elite. England’s all-time top goalscorer, Harry Kane, also features prominently among Europe’s most prolific marksmen.

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Propping up the rest of the rankings is Edin Dzeko, whose spells with Manchester City, Roma and Inter Milan helped him reach 223 goals – just two fewer than Swedish icon Gunnar Nordahl and four short of Alfredo Di Stefano’s tally. The Real Madrid legend scored all but 11 of his 227 goals for the club, including in three Champions League finals, cementing his reputation as one of football’s greatest big-game players.

Mohamed Salah also features in 26th, while Thierry Henry’s superior tally may be enough to suggest his status as the Premier League’s greatest-ever player remains safe for now. Gary Lineker once named Hugo Sanchez as the best goalscorer he played alongside, and the Mexican icon sits 24th.

Gonzalo Higuain and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang occupy the next spots, despite their reputations taking a hit after difficult spells at Chelsea. However, both had previously enjoyed prolific periods elsewhere. Luis Suarez rounds out this section, with his roles in Liverpool’s SAS and Barcelona’s MSN attacks helping him remain one of the most feared forwards of his generation.

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Kylian Mbappe, despite being just 27 years old, is already level with the aforementioned Suarez on 247 goals. The Frenchman is arguably only just entering his prime, meaning he still has plenty of time to climb into the top 10. He needs just three more goals to match Francesco Totti’s tally of 250, with the Roma hero widely regarded as one of the greatest one-club players in football history.

Telmo Zarra may not be a name familiar to many modern football fans, but his 15-year spell with Athletic Bilbao between 1940 and 1955 saw him score at an extraordinary rate, plundering 252 goals in just 277 appearances. However, his Spanish successor Raul remains far more recognisable, despite needing 616 games to score just four more goals than Zarra.

A revered figure at Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Manchester City, Sergio Aguero ranks 16th on the list, while Premier League all-time top scorer Alan Shearer sits 15th with 260 goals. Edinson Cavani (267), Klaus Fischer (268) and Silvio Piola (274) follow closely behind, while 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema narrowly misses out on a place in the top 10.

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With 299 goals, Delio Onnis is the all-time top goalscorer in the history of Ligue 1 in France, and was the league’s top scorer on five occasions. He comes in at 10th, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Dixie Dean just ahead of the Argentine.

Harry Kane is seventh, but after recording one of the highest-scoring seasons in football history with his incredible 2025/26 campaign, he could easily find himself among the top five within the next season or two. Steve Bloomer’s tally of 314 is within touching distance, but a similarly-impressive season is needed to surpass Jimmy Greaves (357) and Gerd Muller (365).

In third place, unable to upset the Apple Cart, is Robert Lewandowski – who can still feel wronged by the fact he was denied a Ballon d’Or during the peak of his career. And, of course, the top two are Messi and Ronaldo, with the latter just one goal below the 2022 World Cup winner – despite the Real Madrid legend boasting the title of football’s all-time top goalscorer.

All statistics courtesy of Planet Football & StatMuse

Manchester United have given Marcus Rashford a new squad number, as Fabrizio Romano provides an update on his future.

Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona, while he has also spent time at fellow Premier League side Aston Villa.

The England international had fallen out of favour at Old Trafford, but he’s recently returned for pre-season, with there being no guarantees over an exit this summer.

United have a valuable asset on their hands. Although he had fallen out of favour, there is a completely new set of staff at Old Trafford since his last spell.

The Red Devils may be open to allowing him to depart, but they now appear happy to reintegrate him into the squad if a sale doesn’t occur.

Man Utd: Rashford update

Marty Jean-Louis/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

Reporting on X, Italian journalist Romano has provided an update on the future of Rashford at Manchester United.

The reliable reporter has confirmed that United have given him a new squad number as a message to trust him and include him as part of the team.

Rashford is set to wear number 14 at United, and he could now stay at the club unless a top European club arrives with a big offer on the table.

Unless a big offer arrives from a club outside of England, we might see Rashford remaining at Old Trafford for the 26/27 season.

United could struggle to sell Rashford

via Reuters

Rashford has endured an inconsistent few years in his career, so it would be no surprise if United struggled to offload him in the summer transfer window.

It’s also well documented that Rashford is on mega-money wages at United, so finding a club that is able to afford him is going to be difficult.

Reintegrating him under a new manager would make a lot of sense, especially if they are unable to get a decent offer.

We’re yet to see if Michael Carrick can get the best out of Rashford, and there’s every chance that they could work well together heading into the new season.

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Marcus Rashford is likely to stay at Manchester United and be part of Michael Carrick’s squad next season.

Rashford’s future has been uncertain throughout the summer after spending last season on loan at Barcelona. The Catalans opted against triggering a £26 million buy option and instead swooped for Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon.

The 28-year-old’s Old Trafford career looked to be over after falling out with Carrick’s predecessor, Ruben Amorim. He spent the second half of the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Aston Villa and hasn’t played for United since December 2024.

Amorim’s sacking and Carrick’s appointment came while Rashford was still at Camp Nou, and as it stands, he will be playing under his former teammate next season. After spending a few weeks off following his World Cup run with England, he returned to Carrington on Sunday (August 9th) in the biggest hint yet that he is staying put.

Romano: Man Utd Now Expect Rashford Stay

Marty Jean-Louis/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

Romano delved into Rashford’s situation and confirmed that the English forward has rejected the chance to move to either the Turkish Super Lig or the Saudi Pro League. He said on his YouTube channel:

Rashford still has two years remaining on his contract with United and is believed to be earning £300,000 per week. His hefty wages were thought to have played a role in his exile under Amorim, along with his commitment to training.

Amorim banished Rashford from the first team, and eventually the club sent him to Villa on loan. He fared well under Unai Emery and then joined Barca on loan last summer, where he impressed but surprisingly didn’t secure a permanent move.

Romano revealed the importance of Carrick in the club’s decision over keeping the player:

Man Utd transfer targets

Lewis Hall – Newcastle rule out sale

Antonee Robinson – Emerges as Hall alternative

Endrick – ‘Talks held’ for Real Madrid star

Lamine Camara – Interest shown in Monaco midfielder

Rashford, whom Gordon dubbed ‘unbelievable ‘, is one of United’s all-time appearance makers and has been adored by the Old Trafford faithful for most of his spell with his boyhood club. Some fans aren’t too fond of seeing him stay put, and as Romano said, he’ll be fighting to get back to his best and win over those supporters.

Rashford Like a New Signing For Carrick

Keeping Rashford may be a contentious decision, but it’s one that will be a huge boost for Carrick. On his day, he’s one of the best attacking talents in English football, and if he can replicate his form shown during his time with Barca, he could help United battle for major trophies.

The Englishman offers versatility as he can play out on the left and up top, which will help Benjamin Sesko, who needs better cover. It will be interesting to see whether he can claim a starting berth in Carrick’s team, as you’d expect Matheus Cunha to continue as the starting left-winger.

Carrick had tipped Rashford to have a lengthy career at United when speaking as a teammate way back in April 2016:

Chris Radburn via Reuters

Carrick seems keen to work with Rashford again, and his man-management style should prove beneficial, especially given how reliant he is on confidence. Given the club are focused on strengthening the squad in other areas, keeping the England international allows them to do just that.