Lionel Messi ranked 6th and Cristiano Ronaldo in 7th as list of fastest players to reach 50 international goals revealed after Haaland hat-trick

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have ranked 6th and 7th, respectively, in a select list of fastest players to reach 50 international goals. The duo are two of football's most prolific forwards and are the leading goalscorers for their respective national teams.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland made headlines on Saturday, August 11, after he bagged a hat-trick in Norway's 5-0 drubbing of Israel in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The 25-year-old's second strike in the win was his 50th in just 46 senior appearances for his country, making him one of the fastest players to reach the landmark on the international stage.

Following Haaland's recent milestone, Opta revealed the number of matches it took some of the game's most prolific forwards to do the same for their respective national teams. The Norwegian star notably achieved the milestone in fewer games than the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Robert Lewandowski.

Coming behind Haaland at the top of the list is Harry Kane, who needed 71 games to score 50 goals for England. Neymar was ranked third as the Santos star reached the milestone after 74 matches for Brazil. Mbappe and Lewandowski ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, with both stars scoring their 50th international goal in their 90th appearances.

Lionel Messi reached the half-century milestone after 107 games, putting him sixth on the list, while Cristiano Ronaldo was ranked seventh as he needed 114 matches before reaching the landmark with Portugal.

Meanwhile, Haaland's hat-trick saw him become the fifth fastest player to score 50 international goals, as per Sports Illustrated. He notably overtook football great Pelé (49 games), but is behind Sándor Kocsis (42 games), Ferenc Puskás (41 games), Gerd Müller (41 games), and Poul Nielsen (36 games).

How many international goals have Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo scored so far?

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the all-time goalscorers for their respective national teams. The Inter Miami star has 114 goals and 61 assists in 194 matches for Argentina.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, holds the record for most goals scored in men's international football, having recorded 141 goals and 45 appearances in 224 games for Portugal.

Both players are in the twilight of their careers, but continue to lead their national teams from the front thanks to their proficiency in the final third. They are expected to make their final major international tournament appearances at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer.

Edited by Okenna Okere