Top 10 best finisher in football with the most fans today

What fans love to see and the final goal on the pitch can be a long shot into a high corner, a touchdown, a pass, a volley or a high rebound header; Goals help you win football matches. The best finishers in football history are those who have been consistent for years and tournaments, showing their abilities time and time again with the same effect. In this article, Premiumsoccertips.net rate the top 10 best finisher in football!

Who is the best finisher in football?

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored over 850 official goals in his career for both club and country, making him one of the greatest goal scorers of all time. Despite not being a natural striker, Ronaldo is a versatile attacking player, capable of playing on both wings as well as through the center. And although predominantly right-footed, he is proficient with both feet.

Tactically, he has undergone several developments throughout his career. While at Sporting and in his early years at Manchester United, he was often deployed as a traditional winger on the right side of midfield. Later, especially at Real Madrid, CR7 transformed into what could be called a “goal-scoring machine.” He is certainly one of the most prolific finishers in the history of football.

2. Pele

As a complete attacking player, Pele 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches (including friendlies) are recognized by the Guinness World Records. The Brazilian player is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest footballers of all time. Averaging nearly a goal per game throughout his career, Pelé is adept at shooting with both feet and anticipating opponent movements on the field.

With 77 goals in 92 matches for Brazil, he holds the record for the most goals scored by a national team player for over 50 years. At the club level, he is the all-time leading goal scorer for Santos with 643 goals in 659 matches.

3. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is often regarded as the greatest footballer of all time or the GOAT of football. Despite not being a prominent striker, he is a versatile winger, capable of playing as an attacking midfielder or what’s also known as a “false nine.” Moreover, despite his diminutive stature, Messi’s short and sturdy legs enable him to excel in short bursts of acceleration, while his nimble feet help him maintain ball control when dribbling at speed. The Argentine legend is renowned for his finishing ability, positional awareness, quick reactions, and the ability to create and capitalize on goal-scoring opportunities. He is often described as a magician, conjuring up goals and opportunities seemingly out of thin air. Furthermore, he excels in executing precise free kicks and penalties. As of September 2023, Messi ranks fifth all-time in direct free-kick goals with 65 goals, the most among currently active players. He also has a penchant for scoring chip goals.

However, beyond being one of the greatest forwards in the world, Lionel Messi also has numerous assists in a playmaker role. In fact, he is one of the players with the most assists in history. Moreover, Lionel Messi holds the record for the most goals scored in La Liga (474), the most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and UEFA Champions League (8), as well as the most assists in La Liga (192) and Copa America (17). He is also the all-time leading South American goal scorer (106). Messi has scored over 800 goals in his career for both club and country and is the player with the most goals for a club (672).

4. Gerd Müller

Regarded by many as one of the greatest goal scorers in football history, Gerd Müller is famous for his exquisite finishing ability, especially in and around the 6-yard box. He utilized extreme acceleration and deceptive changes of pace to attack and bypass defenders. At the international level with West Germany, he scored 68 goals in 62 appearances. At the club level, during his 15-year tenure with Bayern Munich, he scored 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga matches, becoming – and remaining – the league’s all-time leading scorer. In 74 European club matches, he scored 65 goals. Averaging a goal per game for West Germany, Müller ranks 21st on the all-time international goal scorers list, despite playing fewer matches than any other player in the top 48.

Among the top goal scorers, he has the third-highest goal-to-match ratio. He also has the highest goal-to-match ratio in European Cup competitions, scoring 34 goals in 35 matches. Dubbed “Der Bomber,” Müller was honored as the European Footballer of the Year in 1970. After a successful season at Bayern Munich, he scored 10 goals at the 1970 FIFA World Cup for West Germany, where he received the Golden Boot. Starting as the top goal scorer, before winning the Ballon d’Or in 1970. In 1972, he won the UEFA European Championship and was the top scorer, scoring two goals in the final. Two years later, he scored four goals at the 1974 World Cup, including the winning goal in the final. Gerd Müller held the all-time FIFA World Cup goal-scoring record (with 14 goals) for 32 years.

5. Ferenc Puskás

Ferenc Puskás had excellent ball control, primarily with his left foot, and a fantastic first-touch, executing passes and crosses quickly and accurately. He could also move and change positions quickly on the field by shifting from left to center. He could also deceive opponents with fake dribbles and would often leave markers baffled by feinting one way before going the other. The Hungarian player had one of the strongest left-footed strikes in history and would often shoot from 30 to 35 meters. Known as “The Galloper” in 1995, Puskás was recognized by the IFFHS as the greatest goal scorer of the 20th century.

He scored 806 goals in 793 official matches and is considered one of the greatest number 9s in football. He scored an incredible 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary! In October 2009, FIFA announced the introduction of the FIFA Puskás Award, given to the player who scores the “most beautiful goal” of the past year. This is one of the most prestigious awards in football.

6. Romario

As an exceptional striker known for his adept finishing, Romario scored over 700 goals and is one of the few players to score at least 100 goals for three clubs. Regarded as a master of the confined space within the penalty area, his quick speed in short distances (aided by a low center of gravity) helped him evade defenders, and he was famous for his trademark toe-poke finish.

With 55 goals in 70 appearances, he is the fourth-highest goal scorer for the Brazilian national team – after Pelé, Neymar, and Ronaldo. He ranks third in the all-time goal-scoring list in the Brazilian national league with 155 goals. Romario is the ninth-highest goal scorer in football history, with 784 goals in 1002 official matches. He is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. Romario played a key role for Brazil in their FIFA World Cup 1994 victory, receiving the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. He was honored as the FIFA World Player of the Year in the same year.

7. Marco Van Basten

Considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, Marco Van Basten scored 300 goals in his prime but played his last match in 1993, at the age of 28, due to a serious ankle injury, which forced him to announce his retirement two years later. His height and strength made him excellent in aerial duels, while his technical skills and agility allowed him to execute spectacular strikes throughout his career, such as volleys and bicycle kicks.

As a quick and opportunistic forward, with fast reactions and excellent movement, he often took advantage of loose balls in the penalty area thanks to his ability to anticipate defenders and control difficult and fast passes with just one touch or even a first-time shot. Possessing powerful, accurate shots, and the ability to score from various positions on the field, Van Basten could score goals with his feet from inside or outside the penalty area as well as with his head.

8. Eusébio

With nicknames like “Black Panther,” “Black Pearl,” or “O Rei” (“The King”), Eusébio is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time and Benfica’s greatest player ever. He was known for his speed, technique, physical strength, and fierce right-footed shot, making him an excellent goal scorer – with 733 goals in 745 matches. The Portuguese football legend is one of the most decorated individual players in history. Eusébio helped Portugal reach third place in the FIFA World Cup 1966, being the tournament’s top scorer with 9 goals.

He is the all-time leading goal scorer for Benfica, with 473 goals in 440 matches. He is the second-highest goal scorer (after Alfredo Di Stefano) in the pre-Champions League era of European Cup with 48 goals. He was the top scorer of the European Cup in the seasons 1964/65, 1965/66, and 1967/68. Moreover, Eusébio won the Bola de Prata for the top scorer of the Portuguese Primeira Liga a record seven times. He was the first player to win the European Golden Boot in 1968, a feat he repeated in 1973.

9. Josef Bican

Josef Bican is one of the highest goal scorers of all time, with over 950 goals scored in 624 official matches. He scored 427 goals in 221 matches for Slavia Praha during his 11-year tenure with the club. Bican was a tall, strong player, adept with both feet, and had considerable pace. During his athletic prime, he was reportedly capable of running 100 meters in 10.8 seconds, not far behind the top sprinters of his era.

According to UEFA, he is the all-time leading goal scorer in top European competitions with 518 goals (447 in Austria and 71 in Czechoslovakia), slightly ahead of the legendary Ferenc Puskás. Josef Bican was a member of the Austrian Wunderteam in the 1930s and represented the country at the FIFA World Cup 1934, where they reached the semi-finals.

10. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimović is famous for his acrobatic and overhead kicks, technique, and ball control. He is considered one of the greatest forwards of all time and one of the best players in the world, winning 34 titles in his career. A proficient header as well as with his feet, his height, aerial ability, and strength often give him an advantage when challenging opponents in the air and also allow him to act as a target man.

Despite his large stature, Ibrahimović is unusually nimble for a player of his size, and his physicality as well as his aerial ability have helped him score many goals from acrobatic and overhead kicks throughout his career – earning him the nickname “Ibracadabra” in Italian media. He has scored over 570 goals in his career, with over 500 goals at the club level, and has been scoring for four decades. He is Sweden’s all-time leading goal scorer with 62 goals. His bicycle kick from 35 yards out for Sweden against England won the FIFA Puskás Award in 2013 and is often considered one of the greatest goals of all time.

Conclude

In football, best finisher in football is not only about scoring goals, but also about a combination of technique, vision and the ability to perform in difficult situations. Outstanding players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Pelé and many others have shown variety and excellence in finishes, from powerful shots to exquisite technique. It’s important to not just do it once, but also to show consistency and efficiency through multiple games and multiple seasons. Thank you for your interest in our article!

See also: Top 8 football players with most hat tricks – Pepe surpasses Ronaldo