Over 1,250 players have represented England in 150 years of international matches since 1872, with countless legends a part of that number.
The Three Lions haven’t enjoyed huge success in terms of winning trophies, with their 1966 World Cup win on home soil still their only major tournament victory – but there’s still been plenty to shout about over the years.
Individual performances have been outstanding at times and no England supporter – born or not – will forget Geoff Hurst’s memorable hat-trick in the World Cup final against West Germany in a hurry.
But Hurst is a long way behind a number of other greats when it comes to international goals scored for England – indeed that record currently belongs to a modern day Tottenham Hotspur hero.
Here’s England’s men’s 30 all-time leading goalscorers…
Welbeck was at his most prolific for England in 2012 and 2014, scoring five goals in each of those calendar years alone.
Beckham scored several famous England goals during his 13-year international career, but none more so than that free-kick against Greece.
Liverpool legend Hunt played all six games en-route to England winning the World Cup on home soil in 1966, scoring three times.
Known as the first English player to be paid £100 per week, Haynes was England captain between legends Billy Wright and Bobby Moore.
Middlesbrough legend Camsell has the best goals per game ratio of any England player in history with more than one appearance.
Dean remains the only player in English league history to score 60 goals in a single season and his international career was also prolific.
The late Peters had only just been given his England debut on the eve of the 1966 World Cup and finished the tournament by scoring in the final.
Despite a 13-year international career that lasted until 2017, Defoe was only selected for major tournaments by England in 2010 and 2012.
Sterling was just 17 years of age when he made his England debut as a second half substitute against Sweden. It took him a while to get into the groove of scoring international goals but 2019 was a breakthrough year, netting eight times in nine Three Lions appearances.
Gerrard’s first ever international goal came in the 5-1 thrashing of Germany in September 2001, the strike that put England ahead.
England missed out on two World Cups during the 1970s, which meant that 1982 was Keegan’s only chance to play at the tournament.
Southampton were a Second Division club for a significant part of Channon’s England career, which makes his record of 21 goals all the more impressive.
Crouch scored more than a goal every other game in an England shirt, with a 2006 hat-trick against Jamaica giving birth to his ‘robot’ celebration.
Lawton was among a generation of players whose football career was cruelly interrupted by the Second World War.
A Blackpool legend at club level, Mortensen was a leading name in the first ever England squad that went to a World Cup in 1950.
In close to a century of World Cup history, Hurst remains the only male player ever to a hat-trick in the final, doing so in 1966.
Robson enjoyed an impressive goal return from midfield throughout his illustrious career for both Manchester United and England.
Platt’s most famous goal in an England shirt was the dramatic late extra-time volleyed winner against Belgium at the 1990 World Cup.
Derby and Middlesbrough legend Bloomer was a star of Victorian football in the late 19th century, making his England debut in 1895.
Lampard didn’t start playing regularly for England until 2003, but soon became an important goal threat. He scored three times at Euro 2004 and had a blatent goal ruled out against Germany at the World Cup in 2010.
Vivian Woodward of Chelsea pic.twitter.com/WmOVTKmZ14
— The League Magazine (@Theleaguemag) August 12, 2014
Woodward, who also played regularly for England Amateurs, was England’s record goalscorer for 47 years between 1911 and 1958.
A career delayed by the Second World War, Preston North End legend Finney made his England debut in the country’s very first international after the fighting was over.
Shearer, who was top scorer at Euro ’96 with five goals, announced his shock retirement from international football when he was still only 29.
Bruising centre forward Lofthouse was given the nickname ‘Lion of Vienna’ thanks to a particular performance against Austria in 1952, and scored his 30 goals in just 33 appearances.
Owen burst onto the scene for England at just 18, scoring that goal against Argentina, but he was only 28 when he played his last game for the Three Lions.
But for a group stage injury, it could have been Tottenham legend Greaves and not Geoff Hurst who was England’s goalscoring hero at the 1966 World Cup.
Golden Boot winner at the 1986 World Cup, Lineker scored ten goals in total in the various editions of the competition, more than any other English player.
Charlton is widely regarded as one of England’s greatest ever players. He won both the World Cup and Ballon d’Or in 1966, while his England goalscoring record stood for 45 long years until it was finally broken.
Rooney burst onto the scene at Euro 2004, scoring four goals as a teenager, and eventually succeeded Bobby Charlton as both England and Manchester United’s all-time record goalscorer.
Kane became the first England player in 32 years to win a World Cup Golden Boot when he scored six times at the 2018 tournament, and surpassed Wayne Rooney as the Three Lions’ all-time record scorer when netting a penalty against Italy in March 2023.
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