The Premier League is not only one of the most exciting football tournaments on the planet but also a stage that has witnessed the brilliance of legendary strikers. Throughout the history of the tournament, many players have made their mark with a series of classy goals, contributing to memorable moments. Names like Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Harry Kane have gone down in history with impressive scoring records, becoming symbols of dedication, talent, and desire to conquer. So what made these players great, and how did their scoring journey affect the development of the tournament? Today, join Bestsoccertips.com to learn about the list of Premier League top scorers all time through the article below!
Top 10 Premier League top scorers all time
1. Alan Shearer
The striker leading the all-time scoring list of the Premier League is still Alan Shearer. The former England star scored a total of 260 goals in 441 games.
Shearer played for two clubs in the top flight of English football since the Premier League was launched in 1992, starting with Blackburn Rovers. Here, he quickly established himself as a player and class. In the 1993-1994 season, Shearer scored 31 goals in 40 games. In the 1994-1995 season, the presence of Chris Sutton created the legendary striker duo “the SAS” (Shearer And Sutton), helping Blackburn become a formidable team.
Shearer scored 34 goals in 42 games, playing an important role in helping Blackburn Rovers win the Premier League – the biggest title of his club career. In total, Shearer scored 112 goals in 138 appearances for Blackburn before moving to Newcastle United in the 1996-1997 season.
While at Newcastle, Shearer continued to excel despite facing many injuries. During his 10 years with the “Magpies”, he played 303 matches and scored 148 goals. On April 22, 2006, Shearer officially retired after suffering a serious knee injury.
2. Harry Kane
Harry Kane is the only striker still playing in the list of top scorers in the Premier League, and his achievements will certainly continue to improve in the future.
Starting from the 2014-2015 season, Kane gradually asserted his excellent scoring ability in the first team of Tottenham Hotspur. He scored a total of 31 goals in all competitions, including 21 in the Premier League. This impressive performance helped Kane to be named the Premier League Player of the Month twice in a row in January and February 2015. At the end of the season, he was voted the Premier League Young Player of the Year.
With each season, Harry Kane has increasingly shown his ability as a top striker. His continuous scoring is no longer a surprise, with a total of 209 goals after 317 matches in the Premier League up to now. This is a proud achievement and also puts Kane in the race to conquer the legendary Alan Shearer’s record of 260 goals in the coming years.
3. Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney has surpassed the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton to become the player with the most goals in Manchester United history. With 208 goals in 491 matches, “Shrek” is currently ranked 3rd in the list of the best scorers in Premier League history.
Rooney’s name began to attract attention when he was a young talent at Everton. A brace against Arsenal helped him catch the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, who then brought Rooney to Manchester United. Under the guidance of this legendary coach, Rooney quickly developed into one of the best players in the world.
Playing for Manchester United in the Premier League, Rooney played 393 matches and scored 183 goals. With the “Red Devils”, he won most of the prestigious titles, including 5 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League, and many other titles. In 2017, after a glorious career at Old Trafford, Rooney decided to return to Everton – where his professional football journey began.
4. Andy Cole
Andy Cole played for seven different Premier League clubs, but his most successful and famous time was when he played for Manchester United.
In his six seasons at Old Trafford, Cole scored 93 goals in 195 Premier League appearances. The highlight of his career was the 1998-1999 season, when Cole contributed greatly to the Red Devils’ historic treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League). The attacking duo of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke became iconic with their one-two combinations, confusing opposing defenses many times.
When he turned 30, Cole decided to leave Manchester United to seek new challenges at other teams. In the following period, he played for many clubs, including Manchester City – Man United’s cross-town rivals. Although he was no longer at his peak, Cole still showed his formidable goal-scoring ability.
In 2008, Andy Cole officially retired from playing for Nottingham Forest, ending the illustrious career of one of the best strikers in Premier League history.
5. Sergio Aguero
Manchester City fans will certainly never forget the historic moment of Sergio Aguero when he scored the decisive goal against QPR in the final match of the 2011-2012 season. The goal in injury time helped Man City make a dramatic comeback and win the Premier League title for the first time, opening a new era for the wealthy Manchester team.
On July 28, 2011, Manchester City officially announced the signing of Aguero from Atletico Madrid on a five-year contract. During his 10 years at the Etihad Stadium, the Argentine striker became a symbol of the club and the best scorer in the club’s history. Under many different coaches, Agüero has always maintained his peak form and proven his class with his outstanding goal-scoring skills.
With 184 goals in 275 Premier League matches, Agüero has not only affirmed himself as the greatest striker in Man City’s history but also surpassed Wayne Rooney to become the player who scored the most goals for a club in this tournament. Impressive achievements and memorable moments have helped “El Kun” leave a strong mark in the hearts of Man City fans and Premier League history.
6. Frank Lampard
Manchester City fans certainly cannot forget the historic moment of Sergio Agüero when he scored the decisive goal against QPR in the final match of the 2011-2012 season. The goal in injury time helped Man City make a dramatic comeback and win the Premier League title for the first time, opening a new era for the rich Manchester team.
On July 28, 2011, Manchester City officially announced the signing of Agüero from Atletico Madrid on a five-year contract. During his 10 years at the Etihad Stadium, the Argentine striker became a symbol of the club and the best striker in the club’s history. Under many different coaches, Agüero always maintained his peak performance and proved his class with his outstanding scoring skills.
With 184 goals in 275 matches in the Premier League, Agüero not only affirmed himself as the greatest striker in the history of Man City but also surpassed Wayne Rooney to become the player who scored the most goals for a club in this tournament. Impressive achievements and memorable moments have helped “El Kun” leave a strong impression in the hearts of Man City fans and the history of the Premier League.
7. Thierry Henry
Arsenal fans cannot forget the image of Thierry Henry – a great symbol in the history of the team, whenever mentioning goals in the Premier League. Joining Arsenal in 1999 from Juventus for £11 million, Henry, under the guidance of coach Arsène Wenger, rose to become the top scorer in Arsenal’s history with 228 goals in all competitions.
During his career with the “Gunners,” Henry won 4 Premier League Golden Boots, affirming his position as one of the best strikers in the tournament. He and Arsenal won 2 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cups, especially the Premier League championship in the 2003-2004 season with a legendary unbeaten record – a squad dubbed “The Invincibles.”
Henry is also known by the nickname “Son of the Wind,” demonstrating his incredible acceleration and artistic handling. His exquisite curling shots and speedy dribbling became his trademark, imprinted in the memories of Premier League fans throughout the first decade of the 21st century. Henry is not only an Arsenal legend but also an immortal symbol of the Premier League.
8. Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler is one of Liverpool’s greatest ever strikers, beloved by fans and remembered for his great contributions to “The Kop”. In total, Fowler scored 183 goals for Liverpool in all competitions, including 128 in the Premier League.
Fowler once held the record for the fastest hat-trick in Premier League history when he scored three goals against Arsenal in just 4 minutes and 32 seconds in the 1994/95 season. This record stood for more than 20 years before Sadio Mané broke it in the 2014/15 season, with a hat-trick against Aston Villa in just 2 minutes and 56 seconds.
In 2001, Fowler left Liverpool and continued his career at other teams such as Leeds United and Manchester City. However, in 2006, he returned to Anfield in an emotional reunion with “The Kop.” Although he only played for one more season (2006/07), Fowler’s return still left an impression on fans.
Fowler continued to play for a number of small teams before officially retiring in 2012, ending a career full of impressive goals and a reputation as one of the top assassins in English football.
9. Jermain Defoe
Jermain Defoe may be the least famous name among the great strikers of the Premier League, but the striker born in 1982 still left a strong mark in the history of the tournament thanks to his consistency and sharp scoring ability. Defoe mainly played for mid-level teams in England, with Tottenham Hotspur being the biggest club and the place where he spent the longest part of his career.
Defoe had three spells with Tottenham: two full-time contracts and one loan spell from Toronto FC during his time in MLS. In total, the 1.71m striker made 276 appearances for the “Roosters” in the Premier League and scored 91 goals, becoming one of the club’s top scorers.
In addition to Tottenham, Defoe has played for many other teams in England, including West Ham United, Portsmouth, Sunderland, and Bournemouth – the team considered the “dark horse” of the Premier League in recent seasons. At each team he played for, Defoe always showed sharpness and danger in attack, making an important contribution to the team’s overall achievements.
Jermain Defoe’s career has not been associated with many major titles, but his statistics and consistent scoring ability have helped him become one of the most notable strikers in English football.
10. Michael Owen
The former English football prodigy Michael Owen played for both of the most successful clubs in the land of fog, Manchester United and Liverpool. Owen became famous when he was a young player of The Kop. The striker’s talent was quickly confirmed when he continuously scored against his opponents and continuously led the scoring list of the tournament. In his first season in the Premier League, Owen became the top scorer with 18 goals. In the 2001 season, Liverpool won the treble of the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and English Football League Cup, and Owen also won the European Golden Ball in 2001.
After that, the English striker played for Real Madrid for a year but was not really successful. Owen returned home and continued to play for Newcastle United. In 2009, this former prodigy joined Manchester United at the invitation of coach Sir Alex Ferguson. Perhaps the moment Owen scored the winning goal in the final minutes of injury time for the Red Devils against Man City in the Manchester derby was the most memorable moment of this striker’s time at Old Trafford.
Conclusion
The above Premier League top scorers all time not only left a legacy of impressive numbers, but also inspired generations of young players and football fans around the world. Their success not only comes from excellent technique but also is a testament to their perseverance and endless passion for the ball. Although the future of the tournament will see many new stars, scoring legends like Alan Shearer or Harry Kane will always be the standard for the next generations to follow and strive for.
