Top goalscorers in each of the last 5 decades

#3 1990s - Romario (340 goals)

Romario in action in the 1994 World Cup Final

Romario is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. The Brazilian was a phenomenal striker and finished fifth in the FIFA Player of the Century poll in 1999. He scored over 750 career goals and won numerous titles.

Romario was Brazil's best player in their 1994 FIFA World Cup triumph and he won the Golden Ball for his heroics. In 1993, he moved from PSV to join Johan Cruyff's Barcelona Dream Team. Romario has netted 55 times in 70 appearances for the Selecao and is their fourth highest goalscorer of all time.

Ronaldo Nazario, who is considered one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, was Romario's strike partner in the late 90s. Speaking about Romario, El Fenomeno once said:

"Romário was the most decisive player who I played with, he was a great goal scorer, finisher, skillful, opportunist. I think I learnt all of that from him".

#2 2000s - Thierry Henry (313 goals)

Thierry Henry of Arsenal

Thierry Henry is considered to be one of the greatest strikers of all time and one of the greatest players in the history of the Premier League. The Frenchman was a force to be reckoned with for Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side in the early 2000s.

Henry was so consistently prolific in front of goal that he won the Premier League Golden Boot a record four times. Under Wenger, Henry burgeoned into one of the most well-rounded attackers of all time. He also shares the record for most assists in a single Premier League season (20) with Kevin De Bruyne.

Henry copped a move to Barcelona in 2007 and was part of the side that won the continental treble in the 2008-09 season. He scored a total of 313 senior goals in the 2000s.

#1 2010s - Lionel Messi (579 goals)

Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League

This stat ought to show you how ridiculously good Lionel Messi is. This stat ought to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he is in fact the greatest goalscorer in the history of the game. The diminutive Argentinian scored a whopping 579 goals in 2010s.

He holds the record for the most goals scored in a calendar year, netting 91 times for club and country in 2012. Messi, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, tore apart most of the goalscoring records of old during the 2010s. The 12 Ballon d'Or awards the duo share between themselves are testament to their ability.

Messi has won almost everything there is to be won and is still going strong at the age of 34. He just picked up his record seventh Ballon d'Or in late November 2021.