The best 20 goal scorers for Manchester United throughout history are examined by THEEAGLE.
One of the greatest and most prosperous football teams in the world, Manchester United has had several all-time greats wear their jerseys over the course of their historic history.
READ ALSO: Top 10 Man United Worst-Ever Premier League Defeats
So who were some of the Red Devils’ greatest goal scorers in history?
The record for most goals scored for Manchester United is held by Wayne Rooney, who is largely regarded as one of the best players of his generation.
He spent 13 years at the club starting in 2004 and scored 253 goals in 559 games, producing many unforgettable moments.
The English international was admitted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022 after winning the Golden Boy award in 2004.
Sir Bobby Charlton, a former Ballon d’Or and World Cup champion, is ranked second all-time among Manchester United goal scorers with 249 goals. The record for most goals scored was held by him until Rooney surpassed it in 2017.
Denis Law, a legendary player, completes the podium with 237 goals in slightly over 400 games across all competitions.
With 963 games played for United over the course of his incredibly long career, Ryan Giggs holds the record for most appearances at Manchester United. During that time, he scored 168 goals, moving him up to seventh place on the club’s list of all-time goal scorers. Throughout the first 21 seasons of the Premier League, only Giggs managed to score.
Paul Scholes rounds out the top 10 with 155 goals over his 20-year United career. He is recognized as one of the best midfielders of all time and played in the third-most games (718) for the team during his tenure.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is the only active member in the top 20 with 142 goals scored in 339 appearances in his two stints at the club. He is just 9 goals behind lethal Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy, who scored 150 during his time at United.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a former manager of Manchester United, scored 126 goals in 366 appearances. His late goal to give United the treble against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final is indelibly etched in Man Utd folklore.
The complete list of Manchester United’s top 20 goal scorers is provided below.
Manchester United’s Top 20 Goalscorers Of All-Time
|
Position |
Player |
Goals |
Matches |
Years |
|
1 |
Wayne Rooney |
253 |
559 |
2004-2017 |
|
2 |
Bobby Charlton |
249 |
758 |
1956-1973 |
|
3 |
Denis Law |
237 |
404 |
1962-1973 |
|
4 |
Jack Rowley |
211 |
424 |
1937-1955 |
|
5 |
Dennis Viollet |
179 |
293 |
1952-1962 |
|
=5 |
George Best |
179 |
470 |
1962-1974 |
|
7 |
Joe Spence |
168 |
510 |
1919-1933 |
|
=7 |
Ryan Giggs |
168 |
963 |
1991-2014 |
|
9 |
Mark Hughes |
163 |
467 |
1983-1986, 1988-1995 |
|
10 |
Paul Scholes |
155 |
718 |
1994-2011, 2012-2013 |
|
11 |
Ruud van Nistelrooy |
150 |
219 |
2001-2006 |
|
12 |
Stan Pearson |
148 |
343 |
1937-1954 |
|
13 |
David Heard |
145 |
265 |
1961-1968 |
|
14 |
Cristiano Ronaldo |
145 |
345 |
2003-2009, 2021- |
|
15 |
Tommy Taylor |
131 |
191 |
1953-1958 |
|
16 |
Brian McClair |
127 |
471 |
1987-1998 |
|
17 |
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer |
126 |
366 |
1996-2007 |
|
18 |
Andy Cole |
121 |
275 |
1995-2001 |
|
19 |
Marcus Rashford |
119 |
343 |
2015- |
|
20 |
Sandy Turnbull |
101 |
247 |
1907-1915 |
