A total of over 1,000 goals have been scored in games at the Women's 9 final tournaments of the FIFA Women's World Cup, not counting penalties scored during shoot-outs. Since the first goal scored by Chinese player Ma Li at the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup, almost 440 footballers have scored goals at the World Cup tournaments, of whom 50 have scored five or more.[1]
The top 50 goalscorers have represented 12 nations, with 11 players scoring for Germany, and another 10 for United States. In total, 27 footballers came from UEFA (Europe), 11 from CONCACAF (North America), 7 from AFC (Asia) and 5 from CONMEBOL (South America).
Michelle Akers holds the record for the most goals scored in a single tournament, with 10 goals in 1991. The players that came closest were Sissi and Sun Wen in 1999, Birgit Prinz in 2003 and Marta in 2007, with 7 goals. The lowest scoring top scorers was Homare Sawa in 2011 and Hinata Miyazawa in 2023, with five goals. Across the 9 tournaments of the World Cup, 13 footballers have been credited with the most tournament goals, and no one has achieved this feat twice. These 13 top goalscorers played for 7 nations, the most (four) for United States. Another two came from Brazil, Germany and Japan.[2]
Overall top goalscorers
edit| ♦ | Denotes national top scorers (or joint top scorers) at the World Cup |
|---|---|
| # | Denotes players still active at international level |
| ( ) | Denotes tournaments where the player played in a match, but did not score a goal |
| † | Denotes tournaments where the player's team won the World Cup |
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals scored |
Matches played |
Goals per match |
Tournaments | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marta♦# |  Brazil
|
17 | 23 | 0.74 | 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, (2023) | list |
| 2 | Birgit Prinz♦ |  Germany
|
14 | 24 | 0.58 | 1995, 1999, 2003†, 2007†, (2011) | |
| Abby Wambach♦ |  United States
|
14 | 25 | 0.56 | 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015† | list | |
| 4 | Michelle Akers | United States
|
12 | 13 | 0.92 | 1991†, (1995), 1999† | |
| 5 | Sun Wen♦ |  China
|
11 | 20 | 0.55 | 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 | |
| Cristiane# | Brazil
|
11 | 21 | 0.52 | (2003), 2007, 2011, (2015), 2019 | list | |
| Bettina Wiegmann | Germany
|
11 | 22 | 0.50 | 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003† | ||
| 9 | Ann Kristin Aarønes♦ |  Norway
|
10 | 11 | 0.91 | 1995†, 1999 | |
| Heidi Mohr | Germany
|
10 | 12 | 0.83 | 1991, 1995 | ||
| Christine Sinclair# |  Canada
|
10 | 24 | 0.42 | 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, (2023) | list | |
| Carli Lloyd | United States
|
10 | 25 | 0.40 | (2007), 2011, 2015†, 2019† | ||
| 12 | Linda Medalen | Norway
|
9 | 17 | 0.53 | 1991, 1995†, 1999 | |
| Megan Rapinoe# | United States
|
9 | 20 | 0.45 | 2011, 2015†, 2019†, (2023) | ||
| Alex Morgan# | United States
|
9 | 22 | 0.41 | 2011, 2015†, 2019†, (2023) | list | |
| Hege Riise | Norway
|
9 | 22 | 0.41 | 1991, 1995†, 1999, (2003) | ||
| 16 | Célia Šašić | Germany
|
8 | 11 | 0.73 | 2011, 2015 | |
| Marianne Pettersen | Norway
|
8 | 15 | 0.53 | 1995†, 1999, 2003 | ||
| Kerstin Garefrekes | Germany
|
8 | 16 | 0.50 | 2003†, 2007†, 2011 | ||
| Liu Ailing | China
|
8 | 16 | 0.50 | 1991, 1995, 1999 | ||
| Eugénie Le Sommer♦# |  France
|
8 | 20 | 0.40 | (2011), 2015, 2019, 2023 | ||
| Mia Hamm | United States
|
8 | 23 | 0.35 | 1991†, 1995, 1999†, 2003 | ||
| Homare Sawa♦ |  Japan
|
8 | 24 | 0.33 | (1995), (1999), 2003, (2007), 2011†, (2015) | ||
| Kristine Lilly | United States
|
8 | 30 | 0.27 | (1991)†, 1995, 1999†, 2003, 2007 |
Timeline
edit| Key | |
|---|---|
| Goal set a new record | |
| Goal equalled the existing record | |
| Goals | Date | Player | Team | Goal | Opponent | Score | Tournament & Stage | Previous goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 November 1991 | Ma Li | China
|
1–0 | Norway | 4–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
N/A |
| 16 November 1991 | Liu Ailing | China
|
2–0 | Norway | 4–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
N/A | |
| 2 | 16 November 1991 | China
|
3–0 | Norway | 4–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs Norway | |
| 17 November 1991 | Heidi Mohr | Germany
|
3–0 | Nigeria | 4–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs Nigeria | |
| 17 November 1991 | Helle Jensen |  Denmark
|
2–0 | New Zealand | 3–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs New Zealand | |
| 17 November 1991 | Carin Jennings | United States
|
2–0 | Sweden | 3–2 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs Sweden | |
| 17 November 1991 | Carolina Morace |  Italy
|
4–0 | Chinese Taipei | 5–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs Chinese Taipei | |
| 3 | 17 November 1991 | Italy
|
5–0 | Chinese Taipei | 5–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs Chinese Taipei (2) | |
| 4 | 19 November 1991 | Italy
|
1–0 | Nigeria | 1–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs Chinese Taipei (3) | |
| 19 November 1991 | Heidi Mohr | Germany
|
3–0 | Chinese Taipei | 3–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs Nigeria (2), Chinese Taipei | |
| 21 November 1991 | Liu Ailing | China
|
4–0 | New Zealand | 4–1 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs Norway (2), New Zealand | |
| 5 | 21 November 1991 | Heidi Mohr | Germany
|
1–0 | Italy | 2–0 | 1991, China Group stage |
1991 vs Nigeria (2), Chinese Taipei (2) |
| 6 | 24 November 1991 | Germany
|
2–1 | Denmark | 2–1 | 1991, China Quarter-final |
1991 vs Nigeria (2), Chinese Taipei (2), Italy | |
| 24 November 1991 | Michelle Akers-Stahl | United States
|
3–0 | Chinese Taipei | 7–0 | 1991, China Quarter-final |
1991 vs Brazil, Japan (2), Chinese Taipei (2) | |
| 7 | 24 November 1991 | United States
|
5–0 | Chinese Taipei | 7–0 | 1991, China Quarter-final |
1991 vs Brazil, Japan (2), Chinese Taipei (3) | |
| 8 | 24 November 1991 | United States
|
6–0 | Chinese Taipei | 7–0 | 1991, China Quarter-final |
1991 vs Brazil, Japan (2), Chinese Taipei (4) | |
| 9 | 30 November 1991 | United States
|
1–0 | Norway | 2–1 | 1991, China Final |
1991 vs Brazil, Japan (2), Chinese Taipei (5) | |
| 10 | 30 November 1991 | United States
|
2–1 | Norway | 2–1 | 1991, China Final |
1991 vs Brazil, Japan (2), Chinese Taipei (5), Norway | |
| 13 June 1995 | Heidi Mohr | Germany
|
3–0 | England | 3–0 | 1995, Sweden Quarter-final |
||
| 11 | 24 June 1999 | Michelle Akers | United States
|
5–1 | Nigeria | 7–1 | 1999, United States Group stage |
1991 vs Brazil, Japan (2), Chinese Taipei (5), Norway (2) |
| 12 | 4 July 1999 | United States
|
2–0 | Brazil | 2–0 | 1999, United States Semi-final |
||
| 10 September 2007 | Birgit Prinz | Germany
|
8–0 | Argentina | 11–0 | 2007, China Group stage |
||
| 13 | 17 September 2007 | Germany
|
1–0 | Japan | 2–0 | 2007, China Group stage |
||
| 14 | 30 September 2007 | Germany
|
1–0 | Brazil | 2–0 | 2007, China Final |
||
| 10 July 2011 | Marta | Brazil
|
2–1 | United States | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | 2011, Germany Quarter-final |
||
| 15 | 9 June 2015 | Brazil
|
2–0 | South Korea | 2–0 | 2015, Canada Group stage |
||
| 16 | 13 June 2019 | Brazil
|
1–0 | Australia | 2–3 | 2019, France Group stage |
||
| 17 | 18 June 2019 | Brazil
|
1–0 | Italy | 1–0 | 2019, France Group stage |
Top goalscorers for each tournament
edit| World Cup | Player | Team | Goals scored |
Matches played |
Golden Boot |
Other FIFA Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China 1991 | Michelle Akers-Stahl | United States
|
10 | 6 | 
|
Silver Ball |
| Sweden 1995 | Ann Kristin Aarønes | Norway
|
6 | 6 |
|
Bronze Ball |
| United States 1999 | Sissi | Brazil
|
7 | 6 |
|
Silver Ball |
| Sun Wen | China
|
6 |
|
Golden Ball | ||
| United States 2003 | Birgit Prinz | Germany
|
7 | 6 |
|
Golden Ball |
| China 2007 | Marta | Brazil
|
7 | 6 |
|
Golden Ball |
| Germany 2011 | Homare Sawa | Japan
|
5 | 6 |
|
Golden Ball |
| Canada 2015 | Célia Šašić | Germany
|
6 | 7 |
|
|
| Carli Lloyd | United States
|
7 | 
|
Silver Boot, Golden Ball | ||
| France 2019 | Megan Rapinoe | United States
|
6 | 6 |
|
Golden Ball |
| Alex Morgan | United States
|
6 |
|
Silver Boot | ||
| Ellen White |  England
|
6 |
|
Bronze Boot | ||
| Australia/New Zealand 2023 | Hinata Miyazawa | Japan
|
5 | 5 |
|
Goalscorers at multiple tournaments
edit| Rank | Player | Team | Tournaments with goals |
Goals scored |
Matches played |
Goals per match |
Tournaments with goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marta | Brazil
|
5 | 17 | 23 | 0.74 | 2003, 2007 2011, 2015, 2019 |
| Christine Sinclair | Canada
|
5 | 10 | 24 | 0.42 | 2003, 2007 2011, 2015, 2019 | |
| 2 | Birgit Prinz | Germany
|
4 | 14 | 24 | 0.58 | 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007 |
| Abby Wambach | United States
|
4 | 14 | 25 | 0.56 | 2003, 2007 2011, 2015 | |
| Sun Wen | China
|
4 | 11 | 20 | 0.55 | 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 | |
| Bettina Wiegmann | Germany
|
4 | 11 | 22 | 0.50 | 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 | |
| Mia Hamm | United States
|
4 | 8 | 23 | 0.35 | 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 | |
| Kristine Lilly | United States
|
4 | 8 | 30 | 0.27 | 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007 | |
| Julie Foudy | United States
|
4 | 4 | 24 | 0.17 | 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 | |
| 3 | Linda Medalen | Norway
|
3 | 9 | 17 | 0.53 | 1991, 1995, 1999 |
| Marianne Pettersen | Norway
|
3 | 8 | 15 | 0.53 | 1995, 1999, 2003 | |
| Cristiane | Brazil
|
3 | 11 | 21 | 0.52 | 2007, 2011, 2019 | |
| Kerstin Garefrekes | Germany
|
3 | 8 | 16 | 0.50 | 2003, 2007, 2011 | |
| Liu Ailing | China
|
3 | 8 | 16 | 0.50 | 1991, 1995, 1999 | |
| Lisa De Vanna |  Australia
|
3 | 7 | 15 | 0.47 | 2007, 2011, 2015 | |
| Victoria Sandell Svensson |  Sweden
|
3 | 6 | 13 | 0.46 | 1999, 2003, 2007 | |
| Megan Rapinoe | United States
|
3 | 9 | 20 | 0.45 | 2011, 2015, 2019 | |
| Alex Morgan | United States
|
3 | 9 | 22 | 0.41 | 2011, 2015, 2019 | |
| Hege Riise | Norway
|
3 | 9 | 22 | 0.41 | 1991, 1995, 1999 | |
| Isabell Herlovsen | Norway
|
3 | 6 | 15 | 0.40 | 2007, 2015, 2019 | |
| Eugénie Le Sommer | France
|
3 | 8 | 20 | 0.40 | 2015, 2019, 2023 | |
| Carli Lloyd | United States
|
3 | 10 | 25 | 0.40 | 2011, 2015, 2019 | |
| Tiffeny Milbrett | United States
|
3 | 7 | 18 | 0.39 | 1995, 1999, 2003 | |
| Alexandra Popp | Germany
|
3 | 7 | 18 | 0.39 | 2015, 2019, 2023 | |
| Fara Williams | England
|
3 | 5 | 13 | 0.38 | 2007, 2011, 2015 | |
| Pretinha | Brazil
|
3 | 5 | 14 | 0.36 | 1995, 1999, 2007 | |
| Aya Miyama | Japan
|
3 | 6 | 17 | 0.35 | 2007, 2011, 2015 | |
| Asisat Oshoala |  Nigeria
|
3 | 3 | 10 | 0.30 | 2015, 2019, 2023 | |
| Hannah Wilkinson |  New Zealand
|
3 | 3 | 11 | 0.27 | 2011, 2015, 2023 | |
| Lieke Martens |  Netherlands
|
3 | 4 | 16 | 0.25 | 2015, 2019, 2023 | |
| Yūki Nagasato | Japan
|
3 | 4 | 16 | 0.25 | 2007, 2011, 2015 | |
| Solveig Gulbrandsen | Norway
|
3 | 4 | 19 | 0.21 | 1999, 2003, 2015 | |
| Simone Laudehr | Germany
|
3 | 3 | 15 | 0.20 | 2007, 2011, 2015 | |
| Jill Scott | England
|
3 | 4 | 21 | 0.19 | 2007, 2011, 2019 | |
| Joy Fawcett | United States
|
3 | 3 | 23 | 0.13 | 1991, 1995, 1999 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Women World Cup » All-time Topscorers". WorldFootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL Medien GmbH & Co. KG. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- ^ "Every FIFA Women's World Cup top scorer". FIFA. Retrieved 2023-03-23.