Harry Kane stands alone as England’s greatest goalscorer. The captain has 85 goals in 121 appearances, a record he has extended at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he has also become England’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 14 goals in the tournament’s history. This page charts every leading England marksman from 1872 to 2026, with goals, appearances and strike-rates for each player with 20 or more international goals, plus a full breakdown of England’s goalscorers at FIFA World Cup finals.
Quick fact: only six players have scored 40 or more goals for England: Harry Kane (85), Wayne Rooney (53), Bobby Charlton (49), Gary Lineker (48), Jimmy Greaves (44) and Michael Owen (40).
England’s Top 10 All-Time Goalscorers
| Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Goals per Game | Era |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Kane | 85 | 121 | 0.71 | 2015-present |
| 2 | Wayne Rooney | 53 | 120 | 0.44 | 2003-2018 |
| 3 | Bobby Charlton | 49 | 106 | 0.46 | 1958-1970 |
| 4 | Gary Lineker | 48 | 80 | 0.60 | 1984-1992 |
| 5 | Jimmy Greaves | 44 | 57 | 0.77 | 1959-1967 |
| 6 | Michael Owen | 40 | 89 | 0.45 | 1998-2008 |
| 7 | Nat Lofthouse | 30 | 33 | 0.91 | 1950-1958 |
| =7 | Alan Shearer | 30 | 63 | 0.48 | 1992-2000 |
| =7 | Tom Finney | 30 | 76 | 0.39 | 1946-1958 |
| 10 | Vivian Woodward | 29 | 23 | 1.26 | 1903-1911 |
Who Has the Best England Strike-Rate?
Raw goal totals only tell part of the story. Vivian Woodward remains the most prolific England scorer per game, with 29 goals in just 23 appearances before the First World War, a rate of better than a goal per match. Steve Bloomer (28 in 23) and Tommy Lawton (22 in 23) also scored at close to a goal a game. Among modern players, Kane’s rate of a goal every 1.40 games is remarkable given the depth of international defences he has faced across more than a decade.
The table below shows the strike-rate of every England player with 20 or more goals, from the fastest scorers to the slowest.
England All-Time Top Goalscorers & FIFA World Cup Goals
All-Time England Strike-Rates
(For every player with 20 or more Goals)
All-Time England Top Goalscorers & Goalscorers’ Analysis 1872-2026
England Goalscorers at FIFA World Cup Finals 1950-2026
England Goals by Clubs at FIFA World Cup Finals 1950-2026
England Goalscoring at the 2026 World Cup
Kane has rewritten England’s World Cup records in North America this summer. His brace in the 4-2 win over Croatia drew him level with Gary Lineker’s long-standing England record of 10 World Cup goals, and his header against Panama took him clear. Further goals against DR Congo and Mexico have moved him to 14 World Cup goals, joint fifth on the all-time list alongside Gerd Müller. Only Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Miroslav Klose and Ronaldo have scored more at the finals. England’s full head-to-head record against their quarter-final opponents is on our England v Norway page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to the most common questions about England’s top goalscorers, from the all-time record to World Cup goals and strike-rates.
Who is England’s all-time top goalscorer?
Harry Kane is England’s all-time top goalscorer with 85 goals in 119 appearances. He broke Wayne Rooney’s record of 53 goals in March 2023 with a penalty against Italy in Naples.
Who held the England goalscoring record before Harry Kane?
Wayne Rooney held the record with 53 goals in 120 appearances between 2003 and 2018. Rooney had overtaken Bobby Charlton’s total of 49 goals in September 2015.
Who has scored the most World Cup goals for England?
Harry Kane, with 14 goals across the 2018, 2022 and 2026 tournaments. He passed Gary Lineker’s previous England record of 10 during the 2026 World Cup and is one of only two Englishmen, along with David Beckham, to score at three different World Cups.
Which England player has the best goals-per-game record?
Vivian Woodward, who scored 29 goals in 23 appearances between 1903 and 1911, a rate of 1.26 goals per game. Steve Bloomer (28 in 23) is close behind. Among the leading scorers, Jimmy Greaves managed 44 goals in just 57 games.
How many players have scored 40 or more goals for England?
Six players have reached 40 England goals: Harry Kane (85), Wayne Rooney (53), Bobby Charlton (49), Gary Lineker (48), Jimmy Greaves (44) and Michael Owen (40). Kane and Rooney are the only two to pass 50. You can compare England’s scoring record across every FIFA World Cup and at the European Championship elsewhere on the site.
