Progression of England association football goalscoring record
This is a progressive list of association footballers who have held or co-held the record for international goals for the England national football team, beginning with William Kenyon-Slaney who scored the first ever international goal. He scored twice in the second international game played, the first game having finished 0-0.
Criteria
For the early decades, records of players appearances and goals were often considered unreliable. RSSSF and IFFHS have spent much effort trying to produce definitive lists of full international matches, and corresponding data on players' international caps and goals. Using this data, the following records can be retrospectively produced. Note that, at the time, these records may not have been recognised.
One point of note is that early matches by the England Amateur side were played against the full national side of opponents. These matches are counted as full internationals by the IFFHS and the opposing FAs, though not by the (English) FA. This affects Vivian Woodward, who scored 29 goals 23 in full internationals and a further 44 in amateur internationals. This article uses the Football Association's definition, and therefore excludes goals scored in Woodward's international amateur appearances.
England record
Player |
Goals |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
William Kenyon-Slaney |
2 |
1873-03-08 |
4-2 |
||
Charles Bambridge |
2 |
1879-04-05 |
5-4 |
Jointly with Kenyon-Slaney |
|
Charles Bambridge |
4 |
1880-03-13 |
4-5 |
Bambridge scored twice in this game |
|
Charles Bambridge |
5 |
1881-03-12 |
1-6 |
||
Charles Bambridge |
6 |
1882-02-18 |
13-0 |
||
Howard Vaughton |
6 |
1882-03-11 |
1-5 |
Jointly with Bambridge |
|
Charles Bambridge |
7 |
1883-02-03 |
5-0 |
||
Charles Bambridge |
9 |
1884-02-23 |
8-1 |
Bambridge scored twice in this game |
|
Charles Bambridge |
10 |
1885-02-28 |
4-0 |
||
Charles Bambridge |
11 |
1885-03-21 |
1-1 |
||
Tinsley Lindley |
11 |
1888-03-31 |
5-1 |
Jointly with Bambridge |
|
Fred Dewhurst |
11 |
1889-02-23 |
4-1 |
Jointly with Bambridge and Lindley |
|
Tinsley Lindley |
12 |
1890-03-15 |
3-1 |
||
Tinsley Lindley |
14 |
1891-03-07 |
6-1 |
Lindley scored twice in this game |
|
Steve Bloomer |
15 |
1898-04-02 |
3-1 |
Bloomer scored twice in this game to overtake Lindley |
|
Steve Bloomer |
17 |
1899-02-18 |
13-2 |
Bloomer scored twice in this game |
|
Steve Bloomer |
19 |
1899-03-20 |
4-0 |
||
Steve Bloomer |
20 |
1900-04-07 |
1-4 |
||
Steve Bloomer |
24 |
1901-03-18 |
6-0 |
Bloomer scored four times in this game |
|
Steve Bloomer |
25 |
1901-03-30 |
2-2 |
||
Steve Bloomer |
26 |
1904-04-09 |
1-0 |
||
Steve Bloomer |
27 |
1905-02-25 |
1-1 |
||
Steve Bloomer |
28 |
1907-04-06 |
1-1 |
||
Vivian Woodward |
29 |
1911-03-13 |
3-0 |
Woodward scored twice in this game to overtake Bloomer. He held the record either individually or jointly for 47 years - the longest ever. |
|
Nat Lofthouse |
29 |
1956-05-20 |
5-1 |
Jointly with Woodward |
|
Tom Finney |
29 |
1958-06-08 |
2-2 |
Jointly with Woodward and Lofthouse |
|
Tom Finney |
30 |
1958-10-04 |
3-3 |
Finney held the record alone for a single match - the shortest time ever |
|
Nat Lofthouse |
30 |
1958-10-22 |
5-0 |
Jointly with Finney |
|
Bobby Charlton |
30 |
1963-06-05 |
8-1 |
Jointly with Lofthouse and Finney |
|
Bobby Charlton |
31 |
1963-10-12 |
4-0 |
||
Bobby Charlton |
32 |
1964-05-17 |
4-3 |
||
Bobby Charlton |
32 |
1964-05-24 |
3-1 |
||
Bobby Charlton |
33 |
1964-05-27 |
10-0 |
||
Jimmy Greaves |
35 |
1964-10-03 |
4-3 |
Greaves scored three times in this game to overtake Charlton |
|
Jimmy Greaves |
36 |
1964-12-09 |
1-1 |
||
Jimmy Greaves |
37 |
1965-04-10 |
2-2 |
||
Jimmy Greaves |
38 |
1965-05-05 |
1-0 |
||
Jimmy Greaves |
39 |
1966-05-04 |
2-0 |
||
Jimmy Greaves |
43 |
1966-06-29 |
6-1 |
Greaves scored four times in this game |
|
Jimmy Greaves |
44 |
1967-05-24 |
2-0 |
||
Bobby Charlton |
44 |
1968-04-03 |
1-0 |
Jointly with Greaves |
|
Bobby Charlton |
45 |
1968-05-22 |
3-1 |
Charlton finally regained the record alone; he has held it for 42 years and over 470 games |
|
Bobby Charlton |
46 |
1968-06-08 |
2-0 |
||
Bobby Charlton |
47 |
1969-05-07 |
2-1 |
||
Bobby Charlton |
48 |
1970-04-21 |
3-1 |
||
Bobby Charlton |
49 |
1970-05-20 |
4-0 |
See also
- England national football team records
- Progression of England association football caps record