Manchester United's top goal scorers of all time, who are they?

Manchester United's top goal scorers of all time, who are they?

Kevin Omuya, Peris Walubengo
updated at August 9, 2023 at 9:30 AM

Manchester United has had a plethora of fantastic players for years. Most of them have won the Premier League, FA Cup, the European Cup/Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or. Check out 20 Manchester United's top goal scorers of all time below.

man utd top scorers 2021/22
Man-U's top goal scorers. Photo: @OleGunnarSolskjær, @sportybetng, @Cristiano, @AnthonyMartialAM9, @Utd.JM, @scotlandnationalteam, @MarcusRashford, @BBCSport (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Manchester United has won more trophies than any other side in English soccer, with 20 League crowns, 12 FA Cups, five League Cups, and a record 21 FA Group Shields. They also have three UEFA Champions League titles, one UEFA Europa League, one UEFA Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, one Intercontinental Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup to their name.

Who is Manchester United's top goal scorer of all time?

According to recent statistics, Man United has had over 50 top goal scorers in its history. They are also among the fastest players in the world. Below are the 20 Man Utd's All-time premier league top scorers:

20. Brian McClair - 72

manchester united top scorer this season
Brian McClair. Photo: @Lester Walsh-Mayo, @scotlandnationalteam (modified by author)
Source: UGC

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  • Full name: Brian John McClair
  • Birthday: 8 December 1963
  • Birthplace: Bellshill, UK
  • Age: 58 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 16 August 1987
  • Left United: 1 July 1998

McClair is a Scottish football coach and a former forward from 1980 to 1998. Brian McClair's notable career years were at Manchester United. He was the first player since George Best to score 20 league goals for the Reds. The player scored 72 goals in the 11 years he was with Man-U.

19. Eric Cantona - 81

manchester united goal scorers today
Eric Cantona. Photo: @tribuna.united.en, @AmmanCinemasCom(modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona
  • Birthday: 24 May 1966
  • Birthplace: Marseille, France
  • Age: 56 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 6 December 1992
  • Left United: 1 May 1997

Cantona is also among Manchester United's top goal scorers of all time. The former professional footballer is now an actor, film director and producer. The French player retired early from football because he was bored of it. Eric Cantona scored 81 goals for the four-and-a-half seasons he was at Old Trafford.

18. Anthony Martial - 82

Manchester United's top goal scorer
Anthony Martial. Photo: @manchesterunited, @AnthonyMartialAM9 (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Anthony Jordan Martial
  • Birthday: 5 December 1995
  • Birthplace: Massy, France
  • Age: 26 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 1 September 2015

The French forward also plays for the France national team and Manchester United. He played youth football for Les Ulis, then kicked off his career at Lyon. Lyon transferred him to AS Monaco in 2013 for €6 million. Anthony Martial has made 273 appearances for Man-U and scored 82 goals.

17. David Beckham - 85

manchester united goal scorers today
David Beckham. Photo: @Beckham, @MUf.officialPage (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: David Robert Joseph Beckham OBE
  • Birthday: 2 May 1975
  • Birthplace: Whipps Cross University Hospital, London, UK
  • Age: 47 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 23 September 1992
  • Left United: 2 July 2003

Beckham is Inter Miami CF's co-owner and current president. He is also the co-owner of Salford City. His highly publicized personal life and football talent have earned him international fame. David Beckham retired from football at age 38. He scored 85 goals for the team.

16. Marcus Rashford - 98

ronaldo goals for manchester united
Marcus Rashford. Photo: @MUf.officialPage, @MarcusRashford (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Marcus Rashford MBE
  • Birthday: 31 October 1997
  • Birthplace: Manchester, UK
  • Age: 24 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 1 July 2014

Rashford plays as a forward for the England national team and the Premier League club Manchester United. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester for campaigning against child poverty. Marcus Rashford has scored 98 goals for Man United. His one of the youngest and best Manchester United goal scorers today.

15. David Herd - 112

how many goals have manchester united scored in their history
David Herd. Photo: @UnitedInThePast, @MUST - The Independent Manchester United Supporters' Trust (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: David George Herd
  • Birthday: 15 April 1934
  • Birthplace: Hamilton, UK
  • Died: 1 October 2016 in Manchester, UK
  • Age: 82 years (at the time of death)
  • Joined United: 1 July 1961
  • Left United: 1 July 1968

David Herd is also one of Manchester United's top goal scorers of all time. The Scottish footballer who played for Arsenal, Stockport County, Manchester United, and Stoke City. David Herd was a regular forward and a consistent goal scorer. He gave the Red Devils 112 goals.

14. Mark Hughes - 113

man utd top scorers 2021/22
Mark Hughes. Photo: @footballlplanet, @BBCSport (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Leslie Mark Hughes
  • Birthday: 1 November 1963
  • Birthplace: Ruabon, UK
  • Age: 58 years (at the time of death)
  • Joined United: 30 November 1983
  • Left United: 31 May 1995

Alex Ferguson welcomed Mark Hughes back to Old Trafford from Barcelona in 1988. The Welshman was a valuable member of the team. He was with Man-U teams that have won the FA Cup, the Winners' Cup, and the Premier League. Since joining in 1983, he has appeared in 467 matches.

13. Andy Cole - 121

how many goals have manchester united scored in their history
Andy Cole. Photo: @sportybetng, @ukmsn (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Andrew Alexander Cole
  • Birthday: 15 October 1971
  • Birthplace: Nottingham, UK
  • Age: 51 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 22 January 1995
  • Left United: 29 December 2001

Andrew's sports career lasted from 1988 to 2008. The retired striker is mostly remembered for his time with Man-U. Andy Cole was a paid British record transfer from Newcastle United. He spent six years with Manchester United, played 275 games, scored 121 goals, and won eight major trophies (including the Treble of the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and FA Cup).

12. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - 126

man utd all-time premier league top scorers
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Photo: @Ole Gunnar Solskjær, @ManUtd.True.Red.Devils (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Ole Gunnar Solskjær KSO
  • Birthday: 26 February 1973
  • Birthplace: Kristiansund, Norway
  • Age: 49 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 25 August 1996
  • Left United: 28 August 2007

Gunnar is a Norwegian professional football manager. He spent the majority of his career life with the Norway national team and Manchester United. Gunnar Solskjaer played 366 games for the club and scored 126. He signed a three-year contract with Man-U on 28 March 2019 as a permanent manager.

11. George Best - 137

manchester united goal scorers today
George Best. Photo: @StretfordPaddock, @FudbaleriiTimovi (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: George Best
  • Birthday: 22 May 1946
  • Birthplace: Belfast, UK
  • Died: 25 November 2005 at Cromwell Hospital, London, UK
  • Age: 59 years (at the time of death)
  • Joined United: 14 September 1963
  • Left United: 2 January 1974

George was erroneously portrayed as a wasted talent. He won the European Cup and the Ballon d'Or at age 22 and accomplished more than most of Manchester United's top goal scorers of all time. George Best scored 168 goals in 470 games for Manchester Utd between 1963 and 1974.

10. Cristiano Ronaldo - 144

man utd top 10 goal scorers of all-time
Cristiano Ronaldo. Photo: @Cristiano, @CR7 (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
  • Birthday: 5 February 1985
  • Birthplace: Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça, Funchal, Portugal
  • Age: 37 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 12 August 2003

Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Man United despite his desire to leave the club. He was an inexperienced young winger when he joined the team in 2003. The star became one of the best footballers worldwide by 2009. He plays #7 / Forward for the Portugal national football team. Qatar 2022 will be will Cristiano Ronaldo's fifth World Cup.

9. Bobby Charlton - 148

ronaldo goals for manchester united
Bobby Charlton. Photo: @thfcbanter, @Manchester Football Banter (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Sir Robert Charlton CBE
  • Birthday: 11 October 1937
  • Birthplace: Ashington, UK
  • Age: 85 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 6 October 1956
  • Left United: 1 May 1973

Bobby Charlton is widely regarded as the most significant United and English player. Throughout the 1960s, he was among the finest in the world, and after surviving the Munich plane catastrophe, he led United to success. Bobby Charlton scored 249 goals in 758 games between 1956 and 1973. He was one of Man Utd's all-time top scorers in the Premier League.

8. Ruud van Nistelrooy - 150

man utd top scorers 2021/22
Ruud van Nistelrooy. Photo: @manchesterunited, @BarcelonaLatestNews1 (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij
  • Birthday: 1 July 1976
  • Birthplace: Geffen, Netherlands
  • Age: 46 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 12 August 2001
  • Left United: 28 July 2006

Rutgerus is a Dutch professional football coach. The former Man United player currently coaches PSV Eindhoven. Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in the 219 games he played for United. He is often considered one of the best strikers of all time.

7. Paul Scholes - 153

man utd top 10 goal scorers of all-time
Paul Scholes. Photo: @BetAdvisor, @ManUtd.True.Red.Devils (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Paul Scholes
  • Birthday: 16 November 1974
  • Birthplace: Salford, UK
  • Age: 47 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 21 September 1994
  • Left United: 19 May 2013

From 1994 to 2013, he was a member of the United team, playing in 718 games. Paul Scholes was a consistent goal scorer from midfield throughout the first half of his United tenure, with 20 in all competitions in 2002-03. Then, in his thirties, he began to play a more significant role.

6. Ryan Giggs - 165

manchester united top scorer this season
Ryan Giggs. Photo: @Utd.JM, @PAUL ELLIS (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE
  • Birthday: 29 November 1973
  • Birthplace: St David's Hospital, Cardiff, UK
  • Age: 48 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 2 March 1991
  • Left United: 3 July 2016

The Welsh player joined United in 1991 and stayed with the club until his retirement in 2014. No one will likely ever match Ryan Giggs' 963 appearances and 168 goals for Manchester. He scored most of the goals from age 17 to 40. His record of 13 Premier League titles is likewise unlikely to be surpassed.

5. Joe Spence - 168

man utd top scorers 2021/22
Joe Spence. Photo: @mufclounge, @Barratts (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Joseph Waters Spence
  • Birthday: 15 December 1898
  • Birthplace: Throckley, UK
  • Died: 31 December 1966
  • Age: 68 years (at the time of death)
  • Joined United: 31 August 1919
  • Left United: 1 June 1933

Joe Spence was Man United's biggest star after World War I. Although it was not a good time for the club (Manchester stagnated in the Second Division), the player's goals are worth acknowledging. Joe Spence's 510 appearances at Manchester saw him score 168 goals.

4. Dennis Viollet - 179

ronaldo goals for manchester united
Dennis Viollet. Photo: @Bob Thomas/ Popperfoto, @In Memory Of the Munich Air Disaster. (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Dennis Sydney Viollet
  • Birthday: 20 September 1933
  • Birthplace: Fallowfield, Manchester, UK
  • Died: 6 March 1999 at Jacksonville, Florida, USA
  • Age: 65 years (at the time of death)
  • Joined United: 11 April 1953
  • Left United: 1 January 1962

Between 1954 and 1960, Dennis Viollet was a significant member of the Busby Babes group, scoring at least 20 goals in all competitions six seasons in a row, being one of Man United's top goal scorers who scored season by season. In 1959/60, he set a league record with 32 goals. Between 1953 and 1962, he had 179 in 293 games for Manchester United.

3. Denis Law - 184

man utd all-time premier league top scorers
Denis Law. Photo: @Photos Football History, @Vintage.Football.SGD (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Denis Law CBE
  • Birthday: 24 February 1940
  • Birthplace: Bucksburn, Aberdeen, UK
  • Age: 82 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 18 August 1962
  • Left United: 1 July 1973

Denis Law scored a goal seven minutes into his United debut in 1962. He was a British record transfer arrival from Torino. The player won the Ballon d'Or after scoring 46 in 1963/64 (still a club record for a single season). Denis Law scored 237 goals in 404 games between 1962 and 1973, thus joining Man United's leading scorers list. The legend and his wife live in the Manchester area.

2. Jack Rowley - 211

manchester united goal scorers today
Jack Rowley. Photo: @Central Press/Hulton Archive, @Peter John McCann (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: John Frederick Rowley
  • Birthday: 7 October 1918
  • Birthplace: Wolverhampton, UK
  • Died: 28 June 1998 at Shaw and Crompton, UK
  • Age: 79 years (at the time of death)
  • Joined United: 23 October 1937
  • Left United: 1 February 1955

Jack Rowley spent much of his sports career at Manchester United. His career peaked in the late 1940s and early 1950s after WWII. The player's lethal left foot earned him the ‘Gunner’ nickname. Jack Rowley fired the Reds to glory in the post-War years. He scored 211 goals in the 424 games he played for United.

1. Wayne Rooney - 253

how many goals have manchester united scored in their history
Wayne Rooney. Photo: @WayneRooney, @John Peters (modified by author)
Source: UGC
  • Full name: Wayne Mark Rooney
  • Birthday: 24 October 1985
  • Birthplace: Croxteth, Liverpool, UK
  • Age: 36 years (as of October 2022)
  • Joined United: 28 September 2004
  • Left United: 9 July 2017

Wayne Rooney was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022. He broke Bobby Charlton's England and USA scoring records. Rooney was a prolific and consistent scorer for 13 years. He played fewer seasons than some of Manchester United's top goal scorers of all time. Wayne Rooney appeared in 559 games for United and scored a whopping 253 goals.

Who is Man United's top goal scorer of all time?

Wayne Rooney appears first on the list of Man Utd's current top goal scorers with 253 goals and 559 appearances. He is also ranked first among Manchester United's top goal scorers of the decade.

Who are Man Utd's top 10 goal scorers of all-time?

Wayne Rooney, Jack Rowley, Denis Law, Dennis Viollet, Joe Spence, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Sir Bobby Charlton, and Paul Scholes are Man Utd's top 10 goal scorers of all-time. Here is a table showing the top 20 Manchester United's top goal scorers:

Player

Date of birth

Appearances

Number of goals

Goals per match

Wayne Rooney

24 October 1985

559

253

0.45

Jack Rowley

7 October 1918

424

211

0.10

Denis Law

24 February 1940

307

184

0.60

Dennis Viollet

20 September 1933

293

179

0.20

Joe Spence

15 December 1898

510

168

0.13

Ryan Giggs

29 November 1973

949

165

0.17

Paul Scholes

16 November 1974

714

153

0.21

Ruud van Nistelrooy

1 July 1976

219

150

0.68

Sir Bobby Charlton

11 October 1937

477

148

0.31

Cristiano Ronaldo

5 February 1985

342

144

0.42

George Best

22 May 1946

353

137

0.39

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

15 October 1971

366

126

0.34

Andy Cole

26 February 1973

275

121

0.44

Mark Hughes

1 November 1963

467

113

0.36

David Herd

15 April 1934

193

112

0.58

Marcus Rashford

31 October 1997

314

98

0.18

David Beckham

2 May 1975

394

85

0.22

Anthony Martial

5 December 1995

273

82

0.30

Eric Cantona

24 May 1966

182

81

0.45

Brian McClair

8 December 1963

338

72

0.21

Who are Man Utd's top goal scorers in Europe?

Other Manchester United's top goal scorers who have more than 50 goals are:

  • Dwight Yorke - 66
  • Chicharito - 59
  • Robin van Persie - 58
  • Dimitar Berbatov - 56
  • Roy Keane - 51
  • Juan Mata - 51

Who is Manchester United's top scorer this season?

Cristiano Ronaldo is Manchester United's top goal scorer for the 2021/22 season. He has scored 24 goals for the club.

Who are Manchester United's top goal scorers in 2021/22?

Here are 10 Man Utd's top scorers 2021/22 and the number of goals they have scored this season:

  • Cristiano Ronaldo (24)
  • Bruno Fernandes (10)
  • Mason Greenwood (6)
  • Marcus Rashford (5)
  • Jadon Sancho (4)
  • Fred (4)
  • Anthony Elanga (3)
  • Jesse Lingard (2)
  • Edinson Cavani (2)
  • Scott McTominay (2)

What are Ronaldo's goals for Manchester United?

Cristiano Ronaldo has made 342 appearances and scored 144 goals for the Red Devils.

How many goals have Manchester United scored in their history?

Manchester United has scored 9,961 goals in its entire history. The club has 39 goals to reach 10,000.

Manchester United's top goal scorers of all time rarely miss scoring in a game. These payers maintained consistent average-goals-per-match records. They are part of the reason Man-United is so successful today.

READ ALSO: Who is the highest-paid player in the Premier League as of 2022?

Sportsbrief.com revealed some of the highest-paid players in the Premier League. There is no doubt that the English Premier League produces the majority of the world's wealthiest footballers.

Since Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the League, there have been debates about who the highest-paid player is. Most EPL footballers' salaries have been boosted.

Authors
Kevin Omuya photo
Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.
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Peris Walubengo
Peris Walubengo is a content creator with 4 years of experience in writing informational and entertainment articles, researching, editing, and proofreading.