The 6 star names with a superior international goals-per-game ratio to Messi & Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the top two all-time international goalscorers in history. But a number of players boast a better goalscoring ratio, including some big names.

In total, there are 30 players that boast a better international goals-per-game ratio than Ronaldo, whose record stands at 133 goals in 215 games for Portugal – 0.62 goals per game. There are plenty more still that have a superior record to Messi, whose record stands at 109 goals in 188 games for Argentina – 0.58 per game.

Surprisingly, that list includes names like Shaun Goater (20 goals in 22 matches for Bermuda; 0.91), Nahki Wells (20 goals in 26 matches for Bermuda; 0.77) and Lyle Taylor (13 goals in 20 games for Montserrat; 0.65) but we’ve decided to highlight six stars of the game.

Ferenc Puskas

While Messi and Ronaldo have long surpassed Puskas’ total tally, his return for Hungary remains something of a benchmark that even Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland today will struggle to match.

The mightiest of the Magyars scored a frankly insane tally of 84 goals in 85 matches, including two in the ‘match of the century’, Hungary’s 6-3 victory over England at Wembley in 1953, and the opener in the ‘Miracle of Bern’, Hungary’s shock 3-2 defeat to West Germany in the 1954 World Cup final.

That works out as a rate of 0.99 goals per game on the international stage. No wonder his name remains synonymous with great goalscoring prowess.

Erling Haaland

While Mbappe is some way off Puskas’ magic ratio (48 goals in 86 matches for Les Bleus; 0.55), Haaland is miraculously not far off.

At the age of 24, the Manchester City phenomenon has just become Norway’s all-time top goalscorer with 34 goals from just 37 caps. That’s comfortably the best ratio (0.92) of any big-name player in the modern era.

That’s all the more impressive when you consider Norway have otherwise struggled, having failed to qualify for any major tournament since Euro 2000. And their last outing was a 5-1 defeat to Austria.

That – and his Champions League return for Red Bull Salzburg – are a compelling counter-argument to those that suggests his goalscoring numbers are only thanks to the great players around him at City.

Ali Daei

Puskas was the benchmark in the European game. Iranian icon Ali Daei was the benchmark globally.

For a long time he held the record of the all-time top goalscorer in international football. And while he’s long been surpassed by Ronaldo, and recently by Messi, his goalscoring ratio remains superior.

The former Bayern Munich striker notched 108 goals in 148 appearances for Iran. Outrageous.

QUIZ: Can you name every player to score 60+ international goals?

Romelu Lukaku

A tendency to miss big chances in high-profile games and one too many wrong-place-wrong-time moves in his club career have led to a state of affairs where Lukaku finds himself unfairly maligned.

This is a player who’s scored north of 300 goals in his club career and was devastatingly brilliant at his best for Everton and Inter.

His international record is even better. Eighty-five goals in just 119 appearances for Belgium – 0.71 per game. Sixth in the all-time international goalscorers list and only second to Ronaldo in Europe.

At the age of 31, he has time on his side to surpass even Messi to move second.

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TRY A QUIZ: Can you name the top 50 goalscorers across Europe’s major leagues since 2000?

Harry Kane

Yeah, yeah, we know about the trophy curse. While Kane has no silverware to show for his exceptional goalscoring return for club or country, there’s no arguing with the cold, hard numbers.

England’s all-time top goalscorer has 68 goals in just 101 caps – 0.67 per game. He’s just reached a century of caps and it wouldn’t be a major surprise to see him reach the same milestone of goals for the Three Lions.

Davor Suker

Nothing makes us feel more depressingly old than realising that football’s Gen Z audience have probably never heard of Suker.

If you’re reading this and under the age of 30, we implore you to go down a YouTube rabbit hole – starting with his outrageous chip over Peter Schmeichel at Euro 96.

The legendary Croatian, the Golden Boot winner at the France 98 World Cup and a Champions League winner with Real Madrid, scored 45 goals in just 68 games for his country between 1992 and 2002.

A rate of 0.65 goals per game feels even more impressive in the 90s, in contrast to today with more of a stacked calendar and records getting broken left, right and centre.

Even after Croatia’s recent years of glory and runs to World Cup finals, Suker is still their all-time top goalscorer.