Highlights
- Tottenham have produced a handful of world-class strikers over the years who have gone on to enjoy major success.
- They’ve produced countless iconic memories at White Hart Lane, including the likes of Jimmy Greaves, who scored 266 goals in 379 appearances.
- Harry Kane is ranked as the greatest Tottenham striker of all-time having come through the club’s academy system.
Tottenham Hotspur have been one of the most successful teams in English football. Despite not winning a trophy since 2008, they have won two league titles, eight FA Cups and four League Cups. Coupled with European success in 1972 and 1984, Spurs have had their fair share to celebrate — and that’s partially due to their strikers over the years.
A plethora of world-class attackers have graced the hallowed turf at the old and new White Hart Lane over the years. Their elegance, awareness and composure in the final third have spearheaded Spurs’ force in the biggest competitions, providing the fans with delight as the ball rifles into the back of the net. They epitomised the club’s slogan, ‘To Dare Is To Do’.
Due to their success and world-class ability, here is a ranking of the 10 greatest Tottenham strikers of all time. It includes the England captain, two World Cup Golden Boot winners and one former Chelsea striker, yet that didn’t stop him from being one of Spurs’ greatest legends.
Ranking Factors
- Goals scored for Tottenham
- Longevity
- Impact on the rest of the team
|
The 10 Greatest Strikers in Tottenham History |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
Matched played for Tottenham |
Goals scored for Tottenham |
|
1. |
Harry Kane |
430 |
278 |
|
2. |
Jimmy Greaves |
379 |
266 |
|
3. |
Bobby Smith |
317 |
208 |
|
4. |
Martin Chivers |
367 |
174 |
|
5. |
Gary Lineker |
122 |
74 |
|
6. |
Teddy Sheringham |
277 |
124 |
|
7. |
Jermain Defoe |
363 |
143 |
|
8. |
Heung-min Son |
396 |
158 |
|
9. |
Mark Falco |
214 |
87 |
|
10. |
Robbie Keane |
306 |
122 |
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10 Robbie Keane
2002-2011
Robbie Keane was one of the most entertaining strikers to ever play for Spurs. Not only did he provide a fear factor in the final third, but his iconic celebration produced several iconic snapshots from his nine-year spell. Over the course of those seasons, he scored 122 goals in 306 matches, averaging a goal in under three games. For a striker who was regularly alongside someone else, particularly Jermain Defoe, it was an impressive record. Keane has remained a well-loved figure in the Tottenham fanbase, even if other strikers had more natural skill than him.
|
Robbie Keane – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
306 |
|
Goals |
122 |
|
Assists |
32 |
9 Mark Falco
1978-1986
Mark Falco started playing for Tottenham in 1978 after progressing from the club’s academy. However, very few could have predicted how many goals he would score for Spurs. Over 214 games, he scored 87 goals, placing him high up in the all-time standings. He won the 1984 UEFA Cup Final with the club as well, successfully dispatching his penalty as Spurs overcame Anderlecht in the penalty shootout. That epitomised Falco’s importance to Spurs, as he acted as a striker who could be relied upon, even if he wasn’t as naturally gifted. In that sense, he’s in the same boat as Keane.
|
Mark Falco – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
214 |
|
Goals |
87 |
|
Assists |
3 |
8 Heung-min Son
2015-Present
Is Heung-min Son a striker? He’s not an out-and-out striker, but he’s not an out-and-out winger, so we’ve ranked him as a striker for the sake of this list. However, the South Korean would be far higher if he was a natural number nine. Son joined Tottenham in 2015 from Bayer Leverkusen, and had a tough start to life in north London. Son considered leaving in the summer of 2016, yet he persevered and became a Tottenham legend. He has already scored 160 goals for Spurs as of April 2024, yet that will only increase over time. As the first-ever goalscorer at the new stadium and countless iconic moments, there are very few attackers better than the South Korean.
|
Heung-min Son – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
402 |
|
Goals |
160 |
|
Assists |
83 |
|
Stats correct as of 26/04/24 |
|
7 Jermain Defoe
2004-2014
Jermain Defoe often acted as Keane’s partner in crime. At his very best, he was ruthless — and, at his worst, he could still score a goal out of nothing. That symbolised Defoe’s natural talent. He is still one of the most underrated strikers in Premier League history, considering he scored 162 goals in the competition in nearly 500 games. For Spurs, he scored 143 goals and helped the club win the Carling Cup in 2008. He passed the baton to Harry Kane in 2014, as he left behind 10 years of countless memories at White Hart Lane.
|
Jermain Defoe – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
363 |
|
Goals |
143 |
|
Assists |
31 |
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6 Teddy Sheringham
1992-1997, 2001-2003
Teddy Sheringham had two successful spells at Tottenham at the end of the millennium and the start of the next one. From 1992 to 1997, he was one of the best strikers in the league, even winning the club’s Player of the Season award in 1995. He eventually moved to Manchester United in 1997 to win the treble two years later. Yet, he wasn’t done with Spurs then, coming back to the club in 2001 for two more years. Over the course of his two spells, he averaged a goal nearly every two matches, which – coupled with 40 assists – showcased his natural talent.
|
Teddy Sheringham – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
277 |
|
Goals |
124 |
|
Assists |
40 |
5 Gary Lineker
1989-1992
Gary Lineker didn’t have a long spell at Tottenham — and, in truth, he is more famous for his time at Leicester City, Everton and Barcelona. But that doesn’t stop him from being included on this list. Despite having just three years at the club, the now BBC pundit scored 74 goals in 122 matches, helping them win the FA Cup and Charity Shield in 1991. The FA Cup was his first trophy in England, whilst he was the top division’s second-highest goalscorer in the 1991/1992 season with 28 goals from 35 games, only behind Ian Wright, who scored 29 times in 42 games.
|
Gary Lineker – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
122 |
|
Goals |
74 |
|
Assists |
5 |
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4 Martin Chivers
1968-1976
Martin Chivers joined Tottenham in 1968 from Southampton and his debut goal against Sheffield Wednesday for the club foreshadowed his career. He won three major trophies with Spurs over the eight years, made up of two League Cups and the UEFA Cup. The European competition, which they won in 1972, was Chivers’ most successful season. He scored 44 times in 64 first-team appearances, whilst he saved his most impressive form for the UEFA Cup, scoring eight times in 11 matches to help the club to victory. He remains one of Spurs’ greatest strikers ever.
|
Martin Chivers – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
367 |
|
Goals |
174 |
|
Assists |
N/A |
3 Bobby Smith
1955-1964
Bobby Smith joined Tottenham in 1955 for £18,000 after five years at Chelsea. Despite playing for one of the club’s bitter rivals, he is still one of Spurs’ greatest players. The striker was an integral part of Bill Nicholson’s famous double-winning Tottenham team in the 1960/1961 season. He was Tottenham’s top scorer in that season, with 33 goals scored in 43 games, including the first of the two goals in the 1961 FA Cup Final. But Smith didn’t stop there. He scored in the 1962 FA Cup as well in their 3-1 win against Burnley, cementing his legacy at the club. Coupled with winning the 1963 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, Smith was one of Spurs’ most skilled players.
|
Bobby Smith – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
317 |
|
Goals |
208 |
|
Assists |
N/A |
2 Jimmy Greaves
1961-1970
Plenty of older Tottenham fans will argue Jimmy Greaves is Tottenham’s greatest player of all time. He stood as the club’s record goalscorer until a particular England captain came along, scoring 266 goals in 379 appearances. He joined in 1961, and over the course of nine years, he won two FA Cups, most notably. When they won the FA Cup in 1967, he finished as the top goalscorer in the competition with six goals in eight appearances. He finished his career scoring 15 hat-tricks, which remains a club record. Greaves’ ability to find space in the final third and produce powerful shots out of nothing was masterful — and he will forever be a Spurs legend.
|
Jimmy Greaves – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
379 |
|
Goals |
266 |
|
Assists |
N/A |
1 Harry Kane
2011-2023
Finally, Harry Kane is Tottenham’s record all-time goalscorer. With 278 goals in just 430 games, he is seen as a hero by Tottenham fans, even if he left in the summer of 2023 for Bayern Munich. The England captain broke Greaves’ record against Manchester City in February 2023, with a composed finish during a 1-0 win. It epitomised his importance to the club, as he carried them on his back to multiple top-four finishes. Remarkably, he left the club without a trophy, which will forever remain a stain on his Tottenham career. Yet, despite the trophy-less jokes, Kane is one of the greatest strikers of all time, acting as ‘one of their own’ in the Premier League.
|
Harry Kane – Key information |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
430 |
|
Goals |
278 |
|
Assists |
64 |
Stats via the official Tottenham website and Transfermarkt
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