6 current superstars who are the all-time top scorers of European giants

To become the all-time top scorer for one of Europe’s biggest clubs, it takes a lot more than just quality. The player has to be able to perform at a consistent level year in year out and he has to be at a club for a significant period of his career.

For these reasons alone, it has become increasingly difficult to be the all-time top scorer of a European powerhouse in the 21st century.

For instance, AC Milan’s all-time leading goalscorer is Gunnar Nordahl and he played for the club between 1949 and 1956. The second highest goalscorer, Andriy Shevchenko, played 54 games more than Nordahl but scored 46 goals fewer.

Another example is Ian Rush for Liverpool who scored 346 goals for the Reds in 660 games. His record may never be broken because it is unlikely that a striker with the necessary quality to break that record with play long enough for Liverpool to reach that tally.

There are exceptions and at present, there are six active superstars who are the leading goalscorers for one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

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#6. Marek Hamšík - Napoli all-time top scorer with 120 goals

Hamsik broke Maradona's record last season to become Napoli's leading goalscorer

Marek Hamšík has been a loyal servant for Napoli for over 11 seasons now. The Napoli captain has played over 500 games for the club and 10 more games in Napoli colours will make him the player with most appearances for the Serie A club.

Hamsik has scored 120 goals for his club which is a great return for a player who has played in midfield throughout his career. He has hit double figures for goals scored in eight of his 11 seasons for Napoli.

The Slovakian overtook Diego Maradona as Napoli’s all-time leading goalscorer in 2017/18. Maradona scored 115 goals for Napoli in 259 games.

Among the active players; Edinson Cavani, Gonzalo Higuain and Dries Mertens have 104, 91 and 90 goals respectively for Napoli. The latter is still at the club and has a good chance of overtaking Hamsik but the other two may not play for the club again.

#5. Edinson Cavani - PSG all-time top scorer with 171 goals

Cavani broke Ibrahimovic's record last season

It was mentioned that Edinson Cavani scored 104 goals for Napoli in 138 games and this made him the club’s 4th all-time leading goalscorer. If he stayed at Napoli a little longer, then he could have been the all-time leading goalscorer for both Napoli and PSG.

Cavani left Napoli in 2013 to join PSG and continued his incredible goalscoring record. In his first three seasons at PSG, he was often played out wide to accommodate Zlatan Ibrahimovic but despite this, he scored 81 goals in 148 games during this period.

The rate at which he found the back of the net improved massively once he was given his preferred role as a striker and since then, he has scored 89 times in 97 games!

In total, Cavani has scored 170 goals in 245 games for the Parisian club to become the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. He broke the record of 156 goals by Zlatan Ibrahimovic during the 2017/18 season.

Unless Kylian Mbappe stays at PSG for many more years, then Cavani’s record will last for a significant period of time.

#4. Sergio Aguero - Manchester City all-time top scorer with 204 goals

Aguero is into his eighth season with Manchester City

It’s hard to pick the best Manchester City signing since their takeover but Sergio Aguero will certainly be in the Top 3 signings ever for Manchester City.

Aguero signed for Manchester City in 2011 from Atletico Madrid and he had a glowing reputation prior to his arrival.

The Argentine hit the ground running upon joining Manchester City and scored 30 goals in 48 games in his debut season. His 30th goal is easily the most famous goal of his career and probably the most important goal in Manchester City history. It was the goal that clinched Manchester City their maiden Premier League title and that too in dramatic fashion.

The 2018/19 season will be Aguero’s eighth straight season with Manchester City and he has so far scored 204 goals in 295 games for them. At present, he has a lead of 27 goals over second-placed Eric Brook who last played for Man City in 1940.

There is no current Manchester City player in the Top 10 goal scorers for the club. However, given Gabriel Jesus’ age and quality, he has a chance of catching up with Aguero down the line.

Aguero is also the 10th highest goalscorer in Premier League and can easily climb up to sixth by the end of this season. He also has nine Premier League hat-tricks and this tally is the second most in the league history behind Alan Shearer’s eleven.

#3. Wayne Rooney - Manchester United all-time top scorer with 253 goals

Rooney became Man Utd's leading goalscorer in his final season with the club

Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer is also currently playing professionally albeit for a different club.

Wayne Rooney signed for Manchester United when he was only 18-years-old and it didn’t take him long to find his shooting boots. In his debut season, Rooney scored 17 goals in all competitions and improved on that tally in the next two seasons.

Rooney played in multiple positions throughout his Manchester United career but that didn’t stop him from scoring goals. He hit double figures for goals scored in all but one of his seasons as a Manchester United player.

In 13 seasons, he played 559 games and scored 253 goals for Manchester United. In his final season, he only hit eight goals for the club but that was enough for him to break Bobby Charlton’s 44-year-old record as Manchester United all-time leading goalscorer with 249 goals.

The 32-year-old is the leading goalscorer for England and also the second highest goalscorer in the Premier League with 208 goals for Manchester United (183) and Everton (25) combined.

#2. Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid all-time top scorer with 450 goals

Ronaldo averaged over one goal per game at Real Madrid!

Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid in the summer to start a new adventure in Italy with Juventus but a plethora of records he set with Real Madrid is here to stay.

Ronaldo was at Real Madrid for nine seasons and in this period, he scored 450 goals in just 438 games. This average of over one goal per game is mindblowing!

The previous all-time leading goalscorer for Real Madrid was Raul with 323 goals in 741 games. Ronaldo has smashed that record into oblivion with 127 goals more in 303 games fewer.

Ronaldo scored 311 LaLiga goals and 105 goals in the Champions League for Real Madrid. His tally in the league is the second best ever behind Lionel Messi, but Messi’s goals per game ratio is only 0.92 compared to Ronaldo’s 1.07!

The 33-year-old is also the leading goalscorer in Champions League history with 120 goals combined for Real Madrid and Manchester United. This is 20 more than Lionel Messi in second place.

#1. Lionel Messi - Barcelona all-time top scorer with 554 goals

Lionel Messi's records at Barcelona may never be broken

Among the active players, Luis Suarez is Barcelona’s second highest goalscorer with 152 goals and he’s the club’s sixth highest goalscorer ever. The second highest goalscorer ever for Barcelona, Cesar, has 232 goals to his name.

Lionel Messi’s lead over the second highest goalscorer is 322 and that itself is enough for him to be Barcelona’s leading goalscorer. This puts things into perspective.

The Argentine has scored 554 goals in 589 games for Barcelona and since it is unlikely that Messi will leave Barcelona ever, the record will only get bigger and impossible to break.

The 31-year-old has scored 385 goals in the LaLiga which is the highest ever in the competition’s history and 100 in the UEFA Champions League which is the second highest in the competition’s history.

How many more goals do you think Lionel Messi will score for Barcelona?