#2 Ferenc Puskas (Hungary) - 84 goals
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At second position, we have the legendary Ferenc Puskas. Widely considered to be the greatest footballer of his generation and one of the greatest ever, Puskas was the captain of the great Hungarian team of the 50s nicknamed “Magical Magyars” that went unbeaten for 31 matches before the 1954 World Cup Final.
Puskas scored 84 goals for Hungary in 85 appearances in an eleven-year long international career and his stunning goals/game average of 0.99 is the third highest for any footballer who has made more than 43 international appearances.
Puskas led Hungary to the gold medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics where he scored four goals including the first goal in the gold medal match against Yugoslavia. However, Puskas’ finest hour with the national came two years later at the 1954 World Cup where Hungary reached the final.
In Hungary’s second group game against West Germany, Puskas suffered a hairline fracture in the ankle due to a tackle from Werner Liebrich and did not return before the final. In the final, Puskas played the entirety of the match with the hairline fracture and opened the scoring after only six minutes.
Hungary scored another goal two minutes later but West Germany staged a remarkable comeback to win the match 3-2. At the end of the World Cup, Puskas was named the Best Player of the Tournament for his performances.
He played for the national for another two years before ending his international career in 1956 alongside other key national team members due to the Hungarian Revolution. Puskas’ record of 84 goals still remains a national record.
