Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in football. Scoring game in, game out, season after season, is an art that takes a player from good to exceptionally great.
Considering the unforgiving fixture list and the competitiveness within the Premier League itself, reaching that goal tally is no small feat for any player.
Out of the innumerable amount of players that have played on the pitches of the Premier League, a total of 34 have crossed that 100-goal line.
Today we are talking about the first 20 in no particular order of favoritism, just goal stats. And do not worry, we will list the remaining 14 too just to give them a wink.
- 1. Alan Shearer – 260 Goals
- 2. Harry Kane – 213 Goals
- 3. Wayne Rooney – 208 Goals
- 4. Andy Cole – 187 Goals
- 5. Sergio Agüero – 184 Goals
- 6. Frank Lampard – 177 Goals
- 7. Thierry Henry – 175 Goals
- 8. Robbie Fowler – 163 Goals
- 9. Jermain Defoe – 162 Goals
- 10. Mohamed Salah – 142 Goals (Active)
- 11. Michael Owen – 150 Goals
- 12. Les Ferdinand – 149 Goals
- 13. Teddy Sheringham – 146 Goals
- 14. Robin van Persie – 144 Goals
- 15. Jamie Vardy – 136 Goals (Active)
- 16. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 127 Goals
- 17. Robbie Keane – 126 Goals
- 18. Nicolas Anelka – 125 Goals
- 19. Dwight Yorke – 123 Goals
- 20. Romelu Lukaku – 121 Goals
1. Alan Shearer – 260 Goals
Shearer isn’t just in the 100 club – he is the record holder and the Premier League goalscorers king. He bagged 260 goals-a number that has stood the test of time and doesn’t look like it will be eclipsed any time soon.
A powerhouse for Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, he recorded three 30-goal seasons in four years for Blackburn alone.
He didn’t just score goals; he smashed them in, relentlessly. His feat at Newcastle was equally remarkable, with four 20-goal seasons.
2. Harry Kane – 213 Goals
If there’s anyone who had a shot at breaking Shearer’s record, it was Kane.
He started slow at Tottenham but then exploded, with six 20-goal seasons, including two campaigns where he hit the 30-goal mark. Kane was clinical, organized, and endlessly reliable.
Just about when he was getting ready to chase Shearer’s 260, Kane packed his bags and headed to Bayern Munich.
With 213 Premier League goals, Kane remains second, and unless he returns to England, he’ll likely stay the runner-up.
3. Wayne Rooney – 208 Goals
Rooney had many things going for him: pace, power, an eye for goal, and versatility.
He reached the 200-goal mark across stints with his boyhood club Everton, while he enjoyed the bulk of his career in the Premier League terrorizing defenders for Manchester United.
The raw talent of Rooney made him a force of nature in his prime, and at one point in time, it seemed like he could take on Shearer.
As age caught up, Rooney wound down his career in the MLS and then Derby County, finishing off with 208 goals.
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4. Andy Cole – 187 Goals
Rarely mentioned among the discussions of the all-time greats in the Premier League, Andy Cole silently compiled 187 goals.
Undeniably, his best years came for Manchester United, where he was an important influence in their season of the treble.
However, before then, Cole had set fire to the league, scoring 34 goals in one season for Newcastle United. He is such a legend whose goal-scoring record talks louder than his fame.
5. Sergio Agüero – 184 Goals
One of the true icons of Manchester City’s dominance in the Premier League era, Agüero was an out-and-out goal machine.
In just 10 seasons, he managed an incredible 184 goals.
Having reached 20 goals or more in six separate campaigns, he is very much the Premier League’s most prolific foreign striker.
There are simply crucial goals on his highlight reel, including that famous last-gasp title-clincher against QPR back in 2012.
6. Frank Lampard – 177 Goals
Who said midfielders can’t score? Lampard rewrote the rulebook on what’s expected from a central midfielder, smashing in 177 goals during his career.
Most of these goals came in Chelsea blue, where Lampard’s long-range strikes became a staple of the Premier League highlight reel.
No midfielder has scored more goals in the league.
SEE ALSO | Top 10 Premier League Players with Most Own Goals in History
7. Thierry Henry – 175 Goals
Is there a more stylish goalscorer in Premier League history than Thierry Henry?
Pure elegance on the pitch, the Frenchman scored 175 goals in just 258 appearances. Henry had that effortless combination of pace, skill, and precision, terrorizing defenders during Arsenal’s golden years.
He has an average of 0.68 goals per game-the best strike rate amongst the 100-goal club.
8. Robbie Fowler – 163 Goals
They called him “God” at Anfield. Robbie Fowler was a born finisher who scored 163 Premier League goals, most of them for Liverpool.
Fowler had a deadly left foot and was known for his clinical finishing. His peak may have been all too short, but when he was on song, there was simply no stopping him.
9. Jermain Defoe – 162 Goals
Defoe is one of those players who often flew under the radar at times, but nobody could dispute his goal-scoring exploits.
With a total of 162 goals in the bag, he was the very definition of consistency.
He turned out for five different Premier League clubs and always knew where the goal was, even if he was never considered among the top strikers of his era.
10. Mohamed Salah – 142 Goals (Active)
Mo Salah is the only player in the top 10 still active, taking off as a deadly force for Liverpool from Roma in 2017. Salah has a fine mix of speed, skill, and sharp finishing.
Until now, he has racked up 142 Premier League goals and is in absolutely no mood to slow down anytime soon. A modern-day legend in the making, Salah redefined what a winger could do in front of goal.
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11. Michael Owen – 150 Goals
The sight of Owen as a teenager bursting onto the scene and dazzling with his pace, and coolness in front of the net, beguiled fans everywhere.
Owen never once scored in the realm of a 20-goal season in the Premier League but through sheer consistency, he ended up notching a career total of 150 goals.
Unfortunately, injuries did take their toll on Owen, and he never quite hit the heights he seemed destined for.
12. Les Ferdinand – 149 Goals
Second cousin to Rio and Anton Ferdinand, Les was one of the top strikers in the early years of the Premier League.
With many of his goals scored for Queens Park Rangers and Newcastle United, he managed 149 overall. Strong, athletic, and dominant in the air, Ferdinand was a handful for any defender.
13. Teddy Sheringham – 146 Goals
Sheringham was never the quickest striker, but he certainly made up for it by his intelligence and positioning.
He scored 146 Premier League goals while playing deep into his 40s.
He was part of Manchester United’s legendary treble-winning side, proving that sometimes in football, the brain can be mightier than brawn.
14. Robin van Persie – 144 Goals
It was when Arsène Wenger converted Robin van Persie from a winger to a central striker that changed his whole career.
That lethal left foot saw him score 144 Premier League goals, 30 of which came in a sensational final season at Arsenal as he moved to Manchester United.
His goals helped United win the league in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final year in charge.
15. Jamie Vardy – 136 Goals (Active)
The story of Jamie Vardy is one of the football world’s favorite underdog stories, from non-league football to Premier League winner, he netted 136 goals for Leicester City.
His pace and tireless work rate made him a defender’s worst nightmare, and his loyalty to Leicester has seen him reject big moves to remain the Foxes’ talisman.
16. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 127 Goals
Powerfully built and having a shot like thunder, he was for some time a goal-scoring machine in the Premier League.
He scored 127 goals, most notably for Chelsea, where he enjoyed back-to-back 20-goal seasons in the early 2000s.
Hasselbaink’s ability to score from anywhere made him one of the league’s most feared forwards.
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17. Robbie Keane – 126 Goals
A consistent goal-getter for Ireland’s all-time leading scorer, Keane was dependable while in the Premier League.
He scored 126 goals, and his most successful spells came at Tottenham Hotspur. He was a clinical finisher and smart versatile forward who could score from almost any position.
18. Nicolas Anelka – 125 Goals
Few soccer players’ careers were as nomadic as Anelka’s, yet wherever the Frenchman went he managed to score goals.
A prolific French striker with 125 Premier League goals to his name played for a host of top-flight clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Bolton Wanderers.
His pace and finishing ability made him a constant threat, even if his temperament was often called into question.
19. Dwight Yorke – 123 Goals
He holds the accolade of being a member of Manchester United’s fantastic treble-winning team of 1999. He formed a deadly partnership with Andy Cole.
With his natural flair and finishing, he scored 123 Premier League goals, and his infectious smile made him a fans’ favorite wherever he played his football, which also included Aston Villa and Sunderland.
20. Romelu Lukaku – 121 Goals
Lukaku is Belgium’s all-time leading scorer and has enjoyed success across Europe. It was in the Premier League that Lukaku first made his name, scoring 121 goals for the likes of Everton, Manchester United, and Chelsea.
His powerful physique and eye for goal made him a handful for defenders, though his finishing was sometimes inconsistent.
The Rest of the 100 Goals Players
14 more players have crossed the 100-goal mark in the Premier League.
- Raheem Sterling – 120 goals
- Steven Gerrard – 120 goals
- Son Heung-min – 115 goals
- Ian Wright – 113 goals
- Sadio Mane – 111 goals
- Dion Dublin – 111 goals
- Emile Heskey – 110 goals
- Ryan Giggs – 109 goals
- Peter Crouch – 108 goals
- Paul Scholes – 107 goals
- Darren Bent – 106 goals
- Didier Drogba – 104 goals
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 103 goals
- Matt Le Tissier – 100 goals
