Messi, Ronaldo and the 700 Club… Can they beat the all-time record?

Lionel Messi finally hit 700 career goals – a feat he achieved in 862 games – to join to the league of legendary players who have scored 700 or goals or more. That league includes Messi’s arch-rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 728 goals with his 700th arriving in 2019.

Ronaldo is the highest active goal scorer presently. Top active goal scorers include:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo: 728 goals in 1,005 games
2. Lionel Messi : 700 goals in 862 games
3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic : 540 goals in 907 games
4. Luis Suarez :  472 goals in 637 games
5. Robert Lewandowski: 466 goals in 697 games

 How close are Ronaldo and Messi to the other members of the 700 Club? Can they overtake them? Let’s take a look.

Pele, the great Brazilian has a phenomenal 1,279 career goals credited to him by the Guinness Book of Records, in his 21-year career which includes taking Brazil to three World Cup titles. Some football historians would discount goals scored in exhibition games and friendly matches and accord him 767.

Josef Bican, of the Austrian “wonder team” at the 1938 World Cup, is another with a record to threaten Pele’s. He is famous for his time at Slavia Prague in the then-Czechoslovakia, and his record of 805 goals in 530 competitive games could be counted as the most by any player in competitive games.

Romario, Brazil’s top striker and scorer at the 1994 World Cup, is another with an incredible tally and perhaps the most in modern times with 772 goals in 993 games.

The Best Goal Award at the annual FIFA Awards is known as the Puskas Award, named after Hungary’s Ferenc Puscas, captain at the 1954 World Cup. His tally of 746 goals in 754 matches is incredible – at almost a goal per game.

Then, there is Gerd Muller of Germany, top scorer at the 1970 World cup and scorer of 735 goals in 793 games.

The List:

1. Josef Bican: 805 goals in 530 games
2. Romario 772 goals in 993 games 

3. Pele : 767 goals in 1,005 games

4. Ferenc Puskas :  746 goals in 754 matches 
5. Cristiano Ronaldo : 744 goals in 1041 games

6. Gerd Muller : 735 goals in 793 games.

7. Lionel Messi : 700 goals in 862 games

8. Ferenc Deak: 576+ goals 

9. Uwe Seeler: 575+ goals 

10. Tulio Maravilha : 575 goals

If Ronaldo and Messi continue playing for another three to five years, they may top even Biscan’s record of 805 and right now, Ronaldo has overtaken Muller and his sights on Puskas – so it is possible both he and Messi might pass Biscan in two years.