Every fan keeps a list of the best soccer goals. Some are wonder goals from distance. Some are iconic strikes in finals. Some are quick, instinctive finishes that change history. Below is a clear, no-nonsense look at the most famous soccer goals, coupled with quick records from Canada’s CPL and a rundown of the all-time top scorers.
Best Soccer Goals Of All Time
These plays stand out for their mix of skill, context, and impact. They include dazzling solo runs, slick team moves, and set-piece magic. This isn’t a 1-to-10 ranking but a compact collection of legendary soccer goals that most fans recognize from big games or big stages.
Roberto Carlos vs France (Tournoi de France, 1997)
From about 35 yards out, Roberto Carlos smashed a left-footer that started well outside the post and then boomeranged back in, leaving France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez rooted to the spot. It put Brazil 1-0 up and instantly entered folklore as the legendary “banana” free kick. The strange curve sparked debates and even prompted a group of scientists to take a closer look at its extraordinary trajectory.
Zlatan Ibrahimović vs England (Friendly, 2012)
In the inaugural game at Friends Arena, Zlatan read a loose clearance, back-pedalled, and launched an overhead kick from around 30 yards over England goalkeeper Joe Hart. Sweden won 4-2, with this being Zlatan’s fourth goal of the night. The blend of audacity and distance made it a once-in-a-career kind of bicycle kick that even neutral fans couldn’t stop replaying.
Zinedine Zidane vs Bayer Leverkusen (UEFA Champions League Final, 2002)
Just before half-time in Glasgow, a looping Roberto Carlos cross dropped out of the sky and Zidane met it first time with his weaker left, lacing a cushioned volley into the top corner. Madrid won 2-1, and that strike stood as the winner for La Novena. No trickery, no backlift drama – just balance, timing, and the cleanest contact you’ll ever see in a final.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Juventus (UEFA Champions League Quarter-final, 2018)
Dani Carvajal sent a cross into the box, where Ronaldo leapt into a textbook bicycle, guiding the ball beyond Gianluigi Buffon. The strike made it 2-0 in an eventual 3-0 away win, and even the home crowd applauded. The image – perfect body shape, hang time, and control – is why this is one of the most replayed UCL goals.
Lionel Messi vs Getafe (Copa del Rey Semi-final, 2007)
At just 19, Messi collected the ball near the halfway line at the Camp Nou, slalomed past a crowd of defenders, rounded the keeper, and slotted it home – an echo of Maradona’s 1986 Goal of the Century. Barça won the first leg 5-2 (Getafe overturned it 4-0 in the return), but the clip became a reference point for young Messi’s balance and acceleration.
Wayne Rooney vs Manchester City (Premier League, 2011)
In a tense Manchester derby at Old Trafford, Nani’s deflected cross looped up, and Rooney adjusted mid-stride, launching a bicycle into the top corner. United went on to win 2-1, and the strike later took the Premier League Goal of the 20 Seasons award. Fast, instinctive, fearless – a derby finish for the ages.
Papiss Cissé vs Chelsea (Premier League, 2012)
Deep in stoppage time at Stamford Bridge, Cissé bent an outside-of-the-foot rocket from the left that started outside the far post before swerving back past Petr Čech. It sealed a 2-0 away win and capped his blistering half-season start in England. The swerve looked like a cross until the last heartbeat – then it knifed in.
Gareth Bale vs Liverpool (UEFA Champions League Final, 2018)
Minutes after coming on in Kyiv, Bale improvised on a slightly behind-him cross and hit a clean overhead to put Madrid 2-1 up. He later added a long-range effort for 3-1. As a substitute’s first touch in a Champions League final, it’s as high-leverage as it gets: invention under pressure, with the trophy on the line.
Robin van Persie vs Spain (FIFA World Cup Group Stage, 2014)
Daley Blind’s long diagonal arrived from deep, and Van Persie launched into a flying header that looped over Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas for 1-1 just before half-time. The Netherlands went on to win 5-1, and RVP finished with a brace. Solid technique and perfect timing turned a hopeful ball into a viral masterclass.
Sergio Agüero vs QPR (Premier League Final Day, 2012)
At 90+3′, with City needing a win to take the title on goal difference, Agüero took a return pass in the box, rode a challenge, and drove low at the near post for 3-2. It ended a 44-year wait for the league title and created the iconic “93:20” moment. Not the hardest strike on this list but easily the most consequential.
Most Goals in a Soccer Season by CPL Players
While those legendary goals have left their mark on global soccer history, Canada has been building its own highlight reel since the launch of the Canadian Premier League in 2019. The CPL may be young compared to the world’s top leagues, but it has already produced record-setting scorers and memorable strikes that resonate with Canadian fans. Its single-season leaders highlight how fast the league’s attacking standards have risen. Keep in mind that these are regular-season tallies.
5. Terran Campbell – 11 goals (2019, Pacific FC)
First CPL player to hit double digits, Campbell finished runner-up in the league’s inaugural Golden Boot race. A powerful, back-to-goal forward, he set the tone for Pacific’s identity as a pressing, front-foot side.
4. Easton Ongaro – 12 goals (2021, FC Edmonton)
A classic No. 9, Ongaro finished second in the 2021 race behind Morelli. His aerial presence and near-post runs turned half-chances into routine finishes during a tough year for the club.
3. Tristan Borges – 12 goals (2019, Forge FC)
Borges is officially credited with 13 goals for the 2019 Golden Boot because one was scored in the CPL Finals, but his regular-season tally is 12. A left-footed creator-finisher, he mixed set-piece threat with clever movement into half-spaces.
2. Alejandro Díaz – 13 goals (2022, Pacific FC)
Despite a mid-season move abroad, Díaz managed to win the Golden Boot with 13 goals in 18 league matches. His sharp, one-touch finishing in the box gave Pacific a cutting edge whenever they tilted the pitch wide and early.
1. João Morelli – 14 goals (2021, HFX Wanderers)
Morelli broke the CPL single-season record and won the Golden Boot and Player of the Year in the same campaign. A drifting second-striker by instinct, he consistently found soft pockets between the lines and finished with calm, repeatable technique.
Most Soccer Goals in History by Player
Totals vary depending on the criteria used – some lists count only top-tier official matches, while others include regional or wartime games. Think of this as a practical representation, not the final word. Numbers can still change for active players, but here are the most recent standings according to GiveMeSport.
10. Joe Bambrick – 626 (Northern Ireland)
An Irish League legend for Linfield who later played in England, remembered for the terrace line “head, heel or toe, slip it to Joe.” A classic penalty-area poacher with superb heading and near-post instincts, he’s a foundational figure in Northern Irish soccer lore.
9. Gerd Müller – 634 (Germany)
Bayern Munich and West Germany’s “Der Bomber” was the prototype one-touch finisher who made tight spaces look vast. A World and European champion with a reputation for decisive goals on the biggest stages, he set standards modern No. 9s still chase.
8. Jimmy Jones – 639 (Northern Ireland)
A folk hero of the Irish League, renowned for resilience and relentless scoring after returning from a serious early-career injury, he built his tally on bravery in the box, attacking crosses, and second balls that others wouldn’t dare contest.
7. Robert Lewandowski – 695 (Poland)
He’s a Dortmund and Bayern icon, who’s now leading Barcelona’s frontline, famed for immaculate timing off defenders’ shoulders and clinical first-time finishes and known for extreme professionalism and landmark scoring runs, including a nine-minute five-goal blitz for Bayern in 2015.
6. Josef Bican – 722 (Austria / Czechoslovakia)
A pre- and post-war star for Rapid Vienna and Slavia Prague, he was celebrated for his two-footed power and sprinter’s pace. His output anchors perennial debates about era strength and “what counts,” but his top-level scoring remains monumental by any measure.
5. Ferenc Puskás – 725 (Hungary / Spain)
He was captain of the Mighty Magyars who went on to become a Real Madrid great, wielding a wand-like left foot and thunderous accuracy. The Puskás Award for the year’s best goal carries his name for a reason: flawless technique married to ruthless finishing.
4. Romário – 756 (Brazil)
From PSV and Barcelona to Vasco da Gama, he mastered tiny pockets with feints, toe-pokes, and disguised finishes rather than raw power. He led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title, winning the Golden Ball, and became the epitome of efficiency in small spaces.
3. Pelé – 762 (Brazil)
A global icon of Santos and later the NY Cosmos, he remains the only man to win with three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970). His game blended leaping headers, two-footed strikes, and inventive link play, creating a highlight reel that still feels modern decades later.
2. Lionel Messi – 871 (Argentina)
The only player to ever score 91 goals in a single calendar year (2012), Messi combines playmaking genius with lethal finishing. After legendary spells at Barcelona and PSG, he now stars for Inter Miami while continuing to shine for Argentina. Trademark moments include left-foot curlers after mazy runs and playmaking that elevates every scorer around him.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 931 (Portugal)
From Sporting to Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and now Al-Nassr, he’s evolved from explosive winger to penalty-box force. Known for aerial dominance, two-footed striking, and Champions League milestone records, he pairs longevity with relentless end-product.
Conclusion
Great goals stick because they change games – and sometimes the history of a season or a nation. You saw solo slaloms, teamwork moves, distance rockets, set-piece stunners, and last-gasp comebacks. They shape legacy, fuel debate, and spill into culture.
Keep your list open. New players rise, and veterans keep adding to their totals. Polls and surveys shift favourites as new clips land. Recheck numbers – the record book moves fast, and the next unforgettable finish may arrive this weekend.
