Sergio Aguero To Lionel Messi: Top 9 Players To Score Most Non-Penalty Goals In Football

1 / 10

This list shows the football players who have scored the most goals in the 21st century, not counting penalty kicks. While scoring penalties takes skill and calmness, goals scored during regular play show a player's true talent in finishing, positioning, and attacking skills. From precise strikers to energetic forwards, these players have consistently scored goals without needing penalty kicks. Their amazing goal records show how they dominate on the field and perform at the top level. Let’s take a closer look at the best non-penalty goal scorers in modern football.

2 / 10

Samuel Eto'o was a very successful goal scorer when he was at his best, playing for Barcelona and Inter Milan. The Cameroonian striker scored a total of 427 goals in his career, and an amazing 88.5% (378) of those goals were from regular play, not from penalty kicks.

3 / 10

Sergio Aguero, one of Argentina's best goal scorers, scored 378 goals (not counting penalties) in 786 matches during his career. Even though injuries impacted his best years, his talent for scoring during regular play is still an impressive accomplishment.

4 / 10

Edinson Cavani, one of the most underappreciated strikers of his time, has scored 401 goals without counting penalties. At 37 years old, he still scores for Boca Juniors and might add more goals before he retires.

5 / 10

Karim Benzema, famous for his amazing skills during regular play, has scored 444 goals (not counting penalties) in 940 games. Even though he didn't take many penalties at Real Madrid, he is still considered one of the best strikers of the 21st century.

6 / 10

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a big problem for defenders when he was at his best, scoring 488 goals that weren't penalties. What's really amazing is that 84.9% of all the goals he scored in his career came from regular play, which shows just how good he was at scoring goals.

7 / 10

Luis Suarez, the famous Uruguayan striker, has scored 529 goals that weren’t penalties. At 37 years old, he averages 0.54 goals per game, which is very impressive. In 2024, he scored 25 non-penalty goals while playing for Inter Miami, doing better than all the players ranked below him.

8 / 10

Robert Lewandowski, the Polish striker, has scored 609 goals (not counting penalties) in his impressive career and is still playing in European football. His steady performance makes him one of the top strikers in the sport.

9 / 10

Lionel Messi is still one of the best goal scorers, with 741 goals that weren’t penalties out of his 850 total goals. He’s also amazing at creating chances for his team. On average, he scores 0.68 non-penalty goals per game, which is really impressive.

10 / 10

Cristiano Ronaldo, the famous Portuguese football player, has scored 741 goals during regular play. He now plays for Al-Nassr and scores a goal (not from penalties) every 131 minutes on average. He continues to perform at a high level.