The 9 best scorers in the history of the Club World Cup (ranking)

The Club World Cup does not have the prestige of the Champions League or the Premier League, although it is technically the tournament that determines the best team in the world. Ahead of a new format in 2025, the competition will pit all the continental winners against each other in a series of knockout matches to determine the winner, with the European team usually winning.

While Real Madrid dominated the Champions League as one of the most successful teams in the world, the team also shone at the Club World Cup: Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest attacking trios of all time, mastered the match with ease, like a training game.

They weren’t the only players who loved life at the Club World Cup, though. We’ve decided to highlight the best goalscorers in Club World Cup history. The top nine are spread across Asia, the Middle East, Mexico and Europe, representing the diversity of the tournament. There will be no surprises as to who comes out on top.

Related

List of all-time winners of the Club World Cup

The list of winners of the Club World Cup has been illustrious over the years.

9 Salem Al-Dawsari

4 – Al-Hilal

Salem Al-Dawsari was one of the most famous names in the Saudi Pro League before everyone else decided to leave due to financial reasons. The winger has played in three Club World Cups, scoring four goals. In the 2019/20 season, he helped Al-Hilal reach the third place play-off, but they eventually lost to Flamengo on penalties. Two years later, it was a similar story as they were knocked out by Chelsea in the semi-finals and lost to El Ahly in the third place play-off. The season after that, Al-Dawsari’s team finally reached the final, but he couldn’t prevent them from losing 5-3.

8th Denilson

4 – Seoul E-Sports

Denilson, not to be confused with the Denilson who won the 1998 World Cup with Brazil, had an impressive career in Asia at the Club World Cup level. He only played there once with Pohang Steelers in the 2009/10 season, but he was impressive, scoring four goals in just three games.

He scored twice in the quarter-final against TP Mazembe before scoring again in the semi-final defeat. Although it was disappointing, the Brazilian scored in the third-place match to secure a memorable result for the Asian side, showing just how varied the competition can be.

7 Peter

4 – Flamengo

Pedro was always considered one of the next Brazilian players to move to Europe and shine. Surprisingly, however, that never happened and his brief time at Fiorentina highlighted his struggles. It seems the striker prefers life in South America – and that has translated into his football. Since joining Flamengo, he has shone, scoring an average of one goal every two games.

This was also evident at the 2022/23 Club World Cup, when the now 27-year-old scored four goals in just two games to help his team to third place. His two late goals in the third playoff game against El Ahly helped the team come back from a 2-1 deficit to win 4-2.

6 Cesar Delgado

5 – Monterrey

Throughout his career, Cesar Delgado played for various clubs, including Cruz Azul, Olympique Lyonnais and Atlas, but his only involvement in the Club World Cup was with Monterrey in Mexico. He represented the team for three consecutive years from 2012 to 2014, scoring five goals in the tournament.

The Argentine international always seemed to be at the heart of the attacking phase, whether as a winger or central midfielder, and was a force to be reckoned with – even though Monterrey never managed to win the competition. The closest they came was a third-place finish in 2012.

5 Lionel Messi

5 – Barcelona

Lionel Messi needs no introduction. One of the greatest players of all time, he possesses a raw talent that allows him to glide effortlessly around the pitch. Having won the Champions League three times, Messi has played in the Club World Cup three times.

Messi unsurprisingly won the Golden Ball for best player at the 2009 and 2011 tournaments, helping Barcelona to victory. He finished second in the award in 2015, behind only teammate Luis Suarez, and his legacy at the Club World Cup has only strengthened his influence on the game as a whole. He is idolized by millions of children around the world who wish they had even a fraction of his ability.

Related

The 15 greatest Argentine players in football history (ranking)

From Lionel Messi to Diego Maradona, Argentina has consistently produced true greats of the game.

4 Luis Suárez

5 – Barcelona

A Barcelona legend, Luis Suarez is one of the greatest players in the club’s history. His partnership with Messi and Neymar was electrifying, leading to a Champions League win over Juventus in 2015. Just months later, they travelled to the Club World Cup – and the former Liverpool star worked his magic.

He scored a hat-trick in the semi-final against Guangzhou FC before scoring the final two goals in the decisive match against River Plate in a 3-0 win. They were the only two games he played in the tournament, but he still scored a remarkable five goals. His performances in 2015 earned him the Golden Ball award.

3 Karim Benzema

6 – Real Madrid/Al-Ittihad

When you think of the greatest strikers of all time, Karim Benzema naturally springs to mind. His natural talent was remarkable at his best – and the Club World Cup proved that on several occasions. He scored one of the key goals in the 2016 final against Kashima Antlers and was regularly in the right place at the right time to score goals in the semi-finals.

The French striker became the first player to score in four different editions of the Club World Cup in 2023, scoring for Al-Ittihad in the first round against Auckland City. He added to his tally later in the tournament with a goal against El Ahly, cementing his legendary status at the Club World Cup.

Related

The 20 best players in Real Madrid history (ranking)

Los Blancos have had some incredible stars throughout their history, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Zinedine Zidane and Alfredo Di Stéfano.

2 Gareth Bale

6 – Real Madrid

Gareth Bale retired in 2023, leaving behind an iconic legacy of natural talent and skill, coupled with periods of controversy. He is the greatest Welsh player of all time – and as soon as he joined Real Madrid in 2013, he flourished. Bale was a member of the Real Madrid teams that won the tournament in 2014, 2016 and 2017, scoring numerous important goals and assisting on several more.

He scored the second goal against San Lorenzo in the 2014 final, which – although the Club World Cup is not as prestigious – will remain in his memory forever. He won the Golden Ball at the 2018 tournament, scoring six goals throughout his performance – the second most of all time.

1 Cristiano Ronaldo

7 – Real Madrid/Manchester United

Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo is the best Portuguese player of all time. In a career that has spanned Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and now Al-Nassr, the legendary striker has won everything there is to win. Although he played for five clubs, he has only played for two teams at the Club World Cup.

When Manchester United won the Champions League in 2008, he helped the Red Devils win the Club World Cup a few months later with a goal in the semi-final against Gamba Osaka. At the same time, he was at the heart of Real Madrid’s dominance, even winning the Golden Ball in 2016. Real Madrid will be eternally grateful to him with seven goals to his name, as he was a fearsome presence in the final third.