Players appearing on multiple clubs' all-time top-10 scoring charts
Owen Powell asked whether any player appears on more than two clubs' all-time top-10 scoring charts in The Guardian's The Knowledge column on 21 October 2026.
“Harry Kane is now Bayern’s seventh-highest scorer of all time, as well as being Tottenham’s highest scorer. The man he overtook at the top of that list, Jimmy Greaves, is also Chelsea’s seventh-highest scorer of all time. Do any other players feature on two (or more) clubs’ all-time top-10 scoring charts?” asks Owen Powell.
The Knowledge noted that it has previously examined players who are record goalscorers for more than one club, but this question narrows the focus to players who appear in the all-time top 10 for the most different clubs. Dozens of players appear on two clubs’ top-10 lists, including Sergio Agüero (Atlético Madrid and Manchester City), Kenny Dalglish (Celtic and Liverpool), Jimmy Greaves (Chelsea and Tottenham), Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Inter Miami), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid and Al-Nassr) and Alan Shearer (Blackburn and Newcastle).
"Harry Johnson is all-time top scorer for both Sheffield United and Mansfield," writes Darren White. He played for the Blades between 1919 and 1931, scoring 201 league goals. At the age of 32, he left for Mansfield, scoring 104 goals for them over three seasons. He didn’t play for anyone else, so he has the possibly unique record (for someone with more than one club) of being top scorer for every team he represented.
“Romário (Vasco da Gama, Flamengo and PSV) and Delio Onnis (Monaco, Tours FC and Gimnasia) feature on at least three clubs’ all time top-10 scoring charts,” writes Dirk Maas. Readers also cited Robbie Keane, who is among the top 10 goalscorers for three of his clubs (Tottenham, LA Galaxy, ATK), and André-Pierre Gignac (Marseille, Toulouse, Tigres UANL). Tom Stuart nominated John Aldridge (Newport County, Oxford United, Tranmere Rovers); Aldridge is also the Republic of Ireland’s fourth-highest goalscorer.
As well as being Cameroon’s all-time leading goalscorer, Samuel Eto’o is potentially in the top 10 for four clubs: Mallorca, Barcelona, Anzhi Makhachkala and Antalyaspor. “I’m not 100% sure if I can trust the Antalyaspor record,” writes Rhys Shakeshaft, who sent in the answer, “but I’m happy with the other three.” The Knowledge added that historical goalscoring data isn't always 100% reliable, but that Sam Kerr is thought to be among the top 10 leading scorers for five teams: Perth Glory FC, Western New York Flash, Gotham FC, Chicago Red Stars and Chelsea.
“I’ve managed to find one male footballer who, amazingly, is in the top 10 for six different clubs!” writes Ben. Morocco’s Abderrazak Hamdallah is the all-time top scorer for OC Safi (Morocco), second for El-Jaish (Qatar), fourth for Guangzhou R&F/Guangzhou City (China), fourth for Al-Nassr, seventh for Al-Ittihad and 10 for Al-Shabab (all Saudi Arabia). He’s 35 years old and has just joined Al-Taawoun, so it’s entirely possible he’ll add another club to that list.
“The German national kit is not going to be made by Adidas any more, going to Nike after 70 years. Is this the longest kit supply partnership in history, and what’s the longest current run in club football?” asks Paul Savage. “Adidas has been Bayern Munich’s kit sponsor since 1965,” writes Dirk, “but the first time the Adidas trefoil was visible on the shirt was 17 October 1973. HJK (from Helsinki) also started a partnership with Adidas in 1965, one that has continued uninterrupted ever since. The first HJK shirt with the Adidas trefoil I could find was in 1976.” The Knowledge found nothing to beat the 70-year Germany–Adidas relationship and suggested that, when that deal ends, the longest international partnership will be between Austria and Puma, which goes back to 1977.
A number of readers pointed out the omission of Des Walker from a recent item on own goals. Walker famously scored only once in more than 800 games, an improbable belter for Forest against Luton in 1992, but he scored at least seven own goals—four for Forest and three for Sheffield Wednesday. The Forest tally included the winner for Spurs in the 1991 FA Cup final; he also scored at the wrong end when Sheffield United came from 2-0 down to beat Forest in a First Division playoff semi-final in 2003. His other own goals came in the League Cup against Crystal Palace in January 1992 (a week after he scored against Luton) and Portsmouth in 2003; his Sheffield Wednesday own goals were against Liverpool (1994-95), Tottenham (1995-96) and Preston (2000-01). That gives him a career balance of -6 goals: an unbecoming legacy for one of England’s greatest central defenders.
“After Lahti’s fourth consecutive 0-0 draw last night, does anyone know of a similar run?” tweeted Finnish Football Show back in 2017. The Knowledge found multiple precedents: George Graham’s Arsenal played four league games in October 1993 and drew them all 0-0; Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal managed four 0-0s in the league during 2008-09; Graham’s Spurs had four consecutive 0-0s in January–February 2001 in all competitions. Other examples included Wolves’ four straight 0-0s at Molineux late in 2015-16, Udinese’s four in a row in Serie A 1982-83 (they drew 20 of their 30 games that season), and Como’s four consecutive 0-0s in Serie A 1986-87 when they played 30 games, scored 16 and conceded 20. Earlier this year [in 2017 – ed], FC Rostov followed a 6-0 win at Tom Tomsk with five consecutive 0-0 draws in the Russian Premier League, punctuated by a Europa League goalfest at Old Trafford: Rostov lost 1-0.
Other reader questions ranged widely, from Burnley’s year without a home league win to the oddity of Justin Seven-Seven scoring in the same minute as his name, whether any club has used every squad number from 1 to 99, and queries about Erling Haaland and the golden boot. Ross County’s submission claimed 81 goals this season—38 in 10 league games (including beating Queen of the South 8-0 and 7-1), 30 in six Challenge Cup group games and 13 in six League Cup games—and posed the question of what is the earliest a team has hit a century of goals in a season.
The Knowledge invites further submissions and contributions. Mail us with all of your questions and answers
