Top 10 goalscorers in world football in 2023 - Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to being first | OneFootball

Highlights

Cristiano Ronaldo – the man, the myth, the goalscoring legend. Not many footballers, past or present, can compare themselves to the Portuguese in terms of doing what they are paid the big bucks to do: score goals.

In fact, over the course of 2023, nobody scored more goals than the Real Madrid cult hero did with 54. Eyebrows were raised when he switched the beauty of European football for the ever-growing riches of the Middle East – but he has since become somewhat a trailblazer, with many top players having followed suit.

In a recent post-match interview, Ronaldo was quizzed how it felt finishing 2023 as football’s top goalscorer. His brilliant response affectionately noted the importance of his Al-Nassr teammates – and he even, perhaps jovially, mentioned topping the charts again in 2024, all while sporting a wry smile.

There have been many players, typically forwards, that have pushed Ronaldo right to the wire in terms of scoring goals – but who were they? Here are the top 10 players who scored the most goals for club and country in 2023.

The man himself. Goals just seem to be in his nature, don’t they? You typically assume the ball is about to bulge the net when the Portuguese marksman is through on goal – and well, you’d be right considering he has notched a further 54 across the duration of 2023.

A total of 44 of those came for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, while he has continued to add another 10 to his international goal haul, extending his lead as the player with the most international goals since the turn of the millennium. Despite being 38 years of age, Ronaldo is continuing to score at an ungodly rate, and you simply can’t put it past him to be in the same position at the end of 2024. And, maybe, even 2025.

2 Harry Kane

Goals in 2023: 52

A mere two strikes behind the enigmatic Ronaldo is England’s top goalscorer Harry Kane. Formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, the London-born striker has continued his prolific nature in the German top flight for Bayern Munich, where he seems to be breaking records like it’s going out of fashion, given he has scored 25 goals in 22 games for the Bavarians. Just mind-blowingly clinical.

Kane also enjoyed a fruitful return for England in the year of 2023, having added another nine goals to his leading tally, which has taken his tally to a grand total of 62. He’s a goalscorer of the simplest nature and is thoroughly deserving of his spot just behind a legend of the game.

3 Kylian Mbappé

Goals in 2023: 52

The heir to Ronaldo, so they say. Tied level on goals with Kane, Kylian Mbappé is set to be there or thereabouts of this list for years to come. At just 25 years old, he has already scored 265 club goals with 42 of them coming in 2023, all while adding another 10 strikes to his international goal tally, too.

His goalscoring rate could be boosted tenfold should he opt to sign for Spanish behemoths Real Madrid, especially given they are set to make a fresh bid for the talismanic Frenchman in due course. Staying put in the French capital always has its perks, too – as with Lionel Messi and Neymar now moved on, everything the club does revolves around the former Monaco gem.

4 Erling Haaland

Goals in 2023: 50

Hold on, how is Erling Haaland not at the top? Plenty would prematurely assume that the Manchester City striker, who’s ranked the fastest Premier League player to reach the 50-goal milestone, would be at the summit.

Well, it’s not his domestic return that lets him down considering he is level on goals with Ronaldo and two ahead of third-placed Mbappé. Instead, his goals – or lack thereof – on the international stage for Norway is his Achilles’ heel. Having netted just six for his nation, that figure is dwarfed by those above him and hence why he has to settle for a place just adrift of the podium. Better luck next time, Erling.

5 German Cano

Goals in 2023: 40

Perhaps a lesser-known talent given the star-studded nature of this list, German Cano stands tall, with his chest puffed out, as the first non-European playing star on this list. Instead, the 40-goal man plies his trade for Brazilian outfit Fluminense and can thank his wealth of experience for his fantastic return.

The seasoned forward has hit north of 280 career goals and his 2023 haul helped his side to a Copa Libertadores trophy, with him notching a respectable 13. With him showing little signs of fatigue as he approaches the age of 40, the dreams of representing Argentina still live on. Come on, Lionel Scaloni, give him a chance!

6 Denis Bouanga

Goals in 2023: 40

You wouldn’t believe this was Denis Bouanga’s first full season with Los Angeles FC, would you? He’s been a revelation since joining the United States outfit from Saint-Ettiene last summer, constantly seeming to be in the goalscoring groove – hitting 38 across all competitions, to be precise.

Having led his employers to the final stage of the MLS Cup was typically down to his ability to hit the back of the net, the Gabonese forward – despite being on the losing side – added another goal to his tally. His duo of strikes for Gabon took his overall tally for 2023 to an eye-catching 40.

7 Romelu Lukaku

Goals in 2023: 40

Across all facets of footballing life, Romelu Lukaku - ranked as the fourth-best Belgian to play in the Premier League - has been on hand with a plethora of goals, especially internationally, even to the extent where the former Manchester United ace topped the goalscoring charts during the Euro 2024 qualifiers.

And Belgium chief Roberto Martinez will be hoping that he can bring that form into the tournament, too. Domestically, Lukaku endured an injury-struck campaign in 2022/23 but under José Mourinho’s tutelage at Roma, there seems to be no end to his ability in front of goal, recording 13 goals across all competitions.

8 Santiago Gimenez

Goals in 2023: 39

Mexico’s latest hot-shot striker, Santiago Gimenez, has been making quite a name for himself in the Eredivisie since joining from boyhood club CD Cruz Azul back in July 2022, though it seems inevitable that the 22-year-old’s move to a top European side is just a matter of time.

Having helped lead his employers to an Eredivisie title after a six-year hiatus with 15 goals in 32 outings last season, it seems as if the 24-cap Mexico international – whose market value rose the tenth-most in 2023 - has no intention of slowing down considering he’s hit the 18-goal mark in half the appearances he made last season. Scary hours.

9 Barnabas Varga – 39

Goals in 2023: 39

In ninth place is Barnabas Varga. Rather interestingly, the Hungarian forward has never scored more than 15 goals in a season until last time out. A goal-laced stint at Paksi FC managed to earn the 29-year-old a well-earned move to Hungarian champions Ferencvarosi – and the goalscoring hasn’t stopped there.

On the back of his red-hot form at club level, he earned his inaugural call-up to the Hungarian national team in March at the age of 28. Now a seven-cap Hungary international, he has notched 17 goals in his inaugural 21 outings at his latest employers and also managed to rack up his first four goals for his country. What a year it's been for Varga!

10 Lautaro Martinez

Goals in 2023: 37

Football’s most expensive 26-year-old, Lautaro Martinez, just makes the list by the skin of his teeth – and it goes to show the importance of international goals. In fact, the Argentine joins Cano as the only two players on the list to have not registered a goal for their country.

That said, his strike rate for his Serie A employers, Inter Milan, has been phenomenal, with 15 goals in 16 outings coming for him this season, as he looks to better his return of 21 from 2022/23. Either way, the Nerazzurri can count their lucky stars that, despite the clamour over his signature, the free-scoring centre forward has stayed put.