10 players with the most goals in international football in 2025
The 2025 international football calendar highlighted the intense push for FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification, with Erling Haaland (Norway) leading the charge, scoring 17 goals in 9 matches.
Last Updated: 03.38 PM, Dec 26, 2025
The 2025 international calendar was defined by the high-stakes push for FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification. While club football saw Kylian Mbappé dominate, the "National Team" stage belonged to a certain Norwegian striker who put up numbers we haven't seen in decades. Here are the top 10 players with the most goals in international football in 2025.
1. Erling Haaland (Norway) — 17 Goals
If 2024 was about Haaland establishing himself as a record-breaker, 2025 was the year he became a "Cyborg" in a Norway shirt. Haaland managed a staggering 17 goals in just 9 appearances, a ratio that borders on the impossible at the international level.
His year was defined by sheer ruthlessness. In the March window, he put Moldova to the sword with a five-goal masterclass, but he didn't stop there. He scored in every single competitive game he started this year.
Most notably, his hat-trick against Israel in October and a brace against Italy at the San Siro in November proved that he doesn't just "flat-track bully" smaller nations; he is the ultimate weapon against the elite.
Norway has long waited for a talisman to lead them back to a World Cup; in 2025, Haaland didn't just knock on the door, he kicked it down.
March: 1 goal vs. Moldova (WC Qualifier)
June: 1 goal vs. Israel (Friendly); 1 goal vs. Italy (Friendly)
September: 1 goal vs. Finland (WC Qualifier); 1 goal vs. Estonia (WC Qualifier)
October: 5 goals vs. Moldova (WC Qualifier) – A career-high single-match haul.
November: 7 goals across 3 matches vs. Israel, Finland, and Estonia to close the qualifying group.
2. Ismael Díaz (Panama) — 11 Goals
The surprise package of the year comes from CONCACAF. Ismael Díaz has enjoyed a transformative 2025, netting 11 goals in 12 matches. Panama has become a regional powerhouse, and Díaz is the primary reason.
Díaz’s game is built on explosive movement and clinical finishing, which was on full display during the Gold Cup and the crucial final rounds of World Cup qualifying.
His ability to find space in crowded boxes against defensive-minded Caribbean and Central American sides made him Panama’s "Get Out of Jail Free" card.
His 2025 campaign included a vital win against El Salvador and a dominant display against Guatemala, cementing his status as the most lethal forward in North America this year.
3. Harry Kane (England) — 9 Goals
Harry Kane remains the ultimate "Metronome." While his move to Germany dominated club headlines, his form for England was as steady as a heartbeat. Kane finished the year with 9 goals in 9 games, including several crucial penalties and trademark headers.
What makes Kane’s 2025 remarkable is his evolving role. He isn't just a poacher; he spent much of the year dropping deep to play-make for England's flying wingers, yet he still managed to be in the right place to finish the move.
His hat-trick against Wales in the autumn window was a reminder that even at 32, his instinct for goal is sharper than ever. He ends the year having secured England’s top spot in their qualifying group with games to spare.
4. Mikel Merino (Spain) — 8 Goals
Perhaps the most fascinating entry on this list. Mikel Merino isn't a striker by trade, yet in 2025, he became Spain’s most dangerous offensive weapon.
Under Luis de la Fuente, Merino was given the freedom to be a "box-crasher," and the results were spectacular: 8 goals in 10 games.
Merino’s year was a lesson in timing.
He scored 6 goals in 6 World Cup Qualifiers, including a historic hat-trick against Turkey. However, his most famous contribution came in the UEFA Nations League.
In the semi-final against France, he rose highest in the 89th minute to send Spain to the final. He followed that up with another goal in the tournament, proving that his height and physicality provide a "Plan B" that Spanish football has lacked for a generation.
Read also: Most goals in Europe’s top 5 leagues in 2025
5. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) — 8 Goals
The man who refuses to age. At 40, Cristiano Ronaldo finished 2025 with 8 goals in 9 caps. While critics often point to his age, his numbers in European Qualifying tell a different story.
Ronaldo’s 2025 was about efficiency. He wasn't the marauding winger of old, but rather a predatory presence who needed only half a chance to punish defenders.
His double against Armenia in November took him past the 140-goal mark for his country, a record that feels increasingly untouchable.
For Portugal, Ronaldo remains the emotional and competitive heartbeat, proving that his hunger for goals is a fire that will not be extinguished.
March: 2 goals vs. Luxembourg.
September: 1 goal vs. Azerbaijan.
October: 2 goals vs. Georgia.
November: 3 goals vs. Armenia (in a 9-1 victory).
6. Memphis Depay (Netherlands) — 8 Goals
2025 was the year Memphis Depay wrote his name in the Dutch history books. By netting 8 goals in 11 games, he officially surpassed Robin van Persie to become the Netherlands' all-time leading goalscorer.
Memphis has always been a player who thrives on responsibility, and with the Oranje captain’s armband often on his sleeve this year, he delivered.
His brace against Lithuania in September was the moment he broke the record, a clinical display of finishing that showcased his technical variety.
Whether through a curling free-kick or a late surge into the box, Memphis was the focal point of a Dutch side that looks ready to contend for major honours again.
7. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) — 7 Goals
Spain's dominance in 2025 wasn't a one-man show. While Merino provided the physicality, Oyarzabal provided the craft. He finished with 7 goals in 10 appearances, most notably scoring the winning goal in the Nations League final.
Oyarzabal’s intelligence in the final third makes him a nightmare for defenders. He doesn't just stay on the wing; his "shadow striker" movements allowed him to benefit from the space created by Spain’s midfielders.
His consistency in the World Cup Qualifiers, including a brace against Georgia, ensured that Spain never felt the pressure of a "must-win" scenario.
8. Jonathan David (Canada) — 6 Goals
"The Iceman" continues to lead Canada’s golden generation. David’s 6 goals in 12 games might look lower than the leaders', but their importance cannot be overstated. He was the only player to score in every round of the CONCACAF Nations League Finals as Canada secured a historic third-place finish.
David’s game is built on ice-cold composure. In 2025, he became Canada’s all-time leader in game-winning goals. His strike against the United States in the Nations League third-place match was a signature David moment: a one-touch finish that silenced a hostile crowd.
As Canada prepares to co-host the World Cup, David looks like a player ready for the biggest stage of all.
9. Victor Osimhen (Nigeria) — 6 Goals
In just 8 appearances, Victor Osimhen reminded the world why he is Africa's premier striker. His 6 goals for Nigeria were the driving force behind their successful AFCON qualifying campaign and a strong start to World Cup qualifying.
Osimhen is a force of nature. His aerial dominance and relentless pressing make him a one-man army for the Super Eagles. His 2025 highlights included a vital brace against Benin and a dominant performance against Rwanda.
When Osimhen is on the pitch, Nigeria plays with a different level of confidence, and his goal-per-game ratio remains one of the best in world football.
10. Moise Kean (Italy) — 6 Goals
Rounding out the top ten is the comeback story of the year. Moise Kean has found a home in the new-look Italy side, netting 6 goals in 9 games. For a country that has struggled to find a reliable "Number 9" since the days of Luca Toni, Kean’s emergence in 2025 has been a godsend.
Kean’s playstyle, powerful, direct, and increasingly clinical, has revitalised Italy’s attack.
His double against Udinese in a pre-window friendly was a sign of things to come, but his goals in the World Cup Qualifiers against Belgium and Israel were what truly won over the Italian public.
At 25, Kean is finally fulfilling the potential he showed as a teenager, and he ends 2025 as the face of the Azzurri resurgence.