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Putting the ball into the back of the net is often the hardest skill in football, but in the last couple of decades, the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have made it seem like the easiest thing to do.
Goalscorers are often the most valuable players in the team, and a clinical striker or finisher can often be the difference between winning a trophy and not winning any silverware at the end of the season.
The five players on this list are all unbelievable goalscorers and have won many games single-handedly for their respective teams. Without further ado, let us take a look at the 5 players who have scored the most goals in the 21st century.
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Note: Only the top 5 leagues have been considered
#5 Karim Benzema (281 Goals in 551 league games)
2022 Ballon d'Or winner and certified Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema is one of the greatest strikers of this generation. The Frenchman first came into prominence as a talented youngster at French side Lyon where he managed to score 43 goals in 112 Ligue 1 appearances.
This earned him a move to Real Madrid. After initially struggling to nail a regular starting spot, Benzema soon became the undisputed starting striker for Los Blancos, forming a deadly trio with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.
After Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer to Juventus, Benzema became the star man and played a crucial role in multiple UEFA Champions League victories under Carlo Ancelotti. With 238 La Liga goals in 439 appearances for Real Madrid, Benzema is undoubtedly one of the greatest-ever players to don the famous white shirt.
#4 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (302 goals in 467 league games)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has had a long and storied career for multiple clubs in multiple leagues and he has had an impact at every single club he has played. The Swedish superstar has played for the big 3 Italian clubs Juventus, Inter Milan, and AC Milan, and has won Serie A titles with both the Milan clubs.
Ibrahimovic cemented himself as one of the best strikers of this generation at Ligue 1 club PSG where he had his longest continuous stint at one single club. One of the first world-class stars to play in the new PSG era, the big Swede scored an incredible 113 goals in 122 league appearances.
After making a much-publicized move to Manchester United where he reunited with Jose Mourinho, Ibrahimovic finally wound down his career at AC Milan after a stint with MLS side Los Angeles Galaxy.
A great goalscorer and a scorer of great goals, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is truly one of the biggest legends of modern football.
#3 Robert Lewandowski (366 goals in 463 league games)
Undoubtedly the greatest striker to play in the Bundesliga in the 21st century, Robert Lewandowski, at the age of 36, is showing no signs of slowing down at La Liga club Barcelona.
The Polish superstar first made his name as a talented striker at Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund scoring 74 goals in 131 appearances. It was in Bayern Munich, however, that Lewandowski reached the peak of his career, scoring a ridiculous 238 goals in 253 league appearances.
A true number 9, Lewandowski might have lost a bit of pace after making his move to Barcelona but he still is arguably the best finisher in the league, scoring 54 goals in 79 league appearances so far for the Catalan giants.
With 12 goals in just 10 La Liga games this season, it will surprise no one if Lewandowski ends up winning the Golden Boot and the league title this season for Barcelona.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (495 goals in 626 league games)
Predictably, it is Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi once again occupying the top two positions. A 5 time Ballon d'Or winner and undoubtedly one of the greatest players to ever play the game, Cristiano Ronaldo was and still is an incredible goal-scoring machine.
A complete forward, Ronaldo has scored all types of goals in his career from stunning bicycle kicks, long-range screamers and free-kicks to tap-ins and penalties.
Playing as a winger initially at Manchester United where he still managed a very impressive return of 84 goals in 196 games, Ronaldo truly redefined what is possible for a striker at Real Madrid where he scored a scarcely believable 311 goals in 292 appearances.
After a successful spell at Juventus where he continued to break goalscoring records and a not-so-successful spell at Manchester United, Ronaldo's great career is now winding down to an end at Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo will always be remembered as one of the greatest goalscorers of all time.
#1 Lionel Messi (496 goals in 578 league games)
With one goal more than his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi takes the top spot in yet another list. Barcelona's record goal scorer, Messi has 474 goals in 520 league games and is undisputably the greatest ever to pull on a Barcelona shirt in this era.
The Argentine maestro moved to PSG in 2021 where he never seemed completely settled although he showed glimpses of his magic scoring 22 goals in 58 Ligue 1 games.
A goal creator, supreme goalscorer, and a true icon, Lionel Messi's impact at Barcelona and world football will continue to inspire many future generations.
