The England national team is highly regarded in the international game, with many world stars representing the Three Lions at the international level over the years.
Some players have scored vital goals for the England national team, but who have been the most prolific players for the Three Lions?
Harry Kane (66 goals in 98 appearances from 2015-present)
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England’s top goalscorer of all-time is former Tottenham and current Bayern Munich star Harry Kane. Since making his Three Lions debut in 2015, Kane has scored an impressive 66 goals in 98 appearances for his national team.
His goal-scoring exploits at the international level include winning the Golden Boot award at the 2018 World Cup. He also won the England Player of the Year award in 2017 and 2018.
Kane’s goals have helped the Three Lions to runners-up spots at Euro2020 and Euro2024.
Wayne Rooney (50 goals in 120 appearances from 2003–2018)
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Former Manchester United and Everton forward Wayne Rooney held the honour of being his country’s top goalscorer until Kane usurped him at the top of the standings.
Widely regarded as one of the best players England has produced, Rooney enjoyed a 15-year international career that started in 2003 and ran until 2018.
Not only is Rooney England’s second most prolific player, but he is also second only to goalkeeping icon Peter Shilton in the list of appearances for the Three Lions.
Like most players on our list, Rooney failed to win any silverware with Three Lions despite playing alongside many of England’s so-called ‘Golden Generation’.
However, the forward did win the England Men’s Player of the Year award on four occasions in 2008, 2009, 2014 and 2015.
Bobby Charlton (49 goals in 106 appearances from 1958–1970)
The former Manchester United midfielder is quite simply a legend of the English and world game. Not only did he achieve success in a United shirt, but he is one of the few players on our list who won silverware with the Three Lions.
In 1966, Charlton played a crucial role in England winning the World Cup on home soil, their only silverware to date. Charlton won the FIFA Golden Ball award for his contribution to England’s triumph.
The midfielder was named in the Team of the Tournament in both the 1966 and 1970 World Cups.
In 1969, he also received the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to sport. In 2002, the former United ace was also inducted into the England Hall of Fame.
Gary Lineker (48 goals in 80 appearances from 1984–1992)
The former Leicester, Everton and Tottenham forward represented England from 1984 until 1992, scoring an impressive 48 goals in 80 appearances for the Three Lions.
Lineker was regarded as the ultimate goal poacher, who did all his best work in the penalty area.
He showed that striking prowess in the 1986 World Cup, when he scored six goals to see off the threat of the great Diego Maradona to win the competition’s Golden Boot while also being named in the team of the tournament. In 2003, Lineker joined Bobby Charlton in the England Hall of Fame.
Jimmy Greaves (44 goals in 57 appearances from 1959–1967)
The former Tottenham forward is considered to be one the greatest finishers the British game has seen. Greaves is the record goalscorer in the history of English domestic football, having scored 357 goals in 516 appearances.
His record for England wasn’t too bad either, as the Spurs great scored 44 goals in 57 appearances for the Three Lions.
Greaves’ crowning achievement at international level was helping England win the 1966 World Cup. He played in all the group games against Uruguay, Mexico and France. However, an injury picked up against the latter ruled him out of the quarter-final.
His replacement was West Ham’s Geoff Hurst, who scored the winning goal against Argentina. Greaves didn’t get back into the starting line-up, as manager Alf Ramsey didn’t want to change a winning team.
England went on to lift the trophy courtesy of a hat-trick by Hurst in a 4-2 extra-time victory over Germany in the final at Wembley.
Greaves didn’t receive a winner’s medal until 2009 after the FA campaigned for all members of the squad to receive recognition and not just the starting line-up as was the custom in 1966.
Michael Owen (40 goals in 89 appearances from 1998–2008)
Despite an injury-hit career, former Liverpool and Real Madrid forward Owen scored a highly respectable 40 goals in 89 appearances over an international career that spanned a decade.
Owen won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award in 2001 at the peak of his powers. During that time, he impressed in both the club and international games.
In the 1998 World Cup, the forward won the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player Award and was also a reserve in the Team of the Tournament. In 2014, Owen was inducted into the England Hall of Fame.
Nat Lofthouse (30 goals in 33 appearances from 1950–1958)
The former Preston North End star is another legend of the English game. His goalscoring record in an eight-year England career of 30 goals in 33 games is one of the best goals-to-game ratios of any of the players on our list.
Lofthouse opened his England goalscoring account in a 1950 2-2 friendly draw against Yugoslavia, with his last goal coming in a 5-0 friendly win over the Soviet Union at Wembley in 1958.
Alan Shearer (30 goals in 63 appearances from 1992–2000)
Like Lofthouse, Shearer scored 30 England goals in an international career that spanned eight years. However, the former Newcastle striker made 30 more appearances than Lofthouse during his career.
Shearer’s goalscoring record at international level is certainly respectable, although not quite as impressive as his numbers in the Premier League. He also had the honour of captaining his country during his career.
In 2004, the forward was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame for service to his clubs and his time playing for his national team.
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