Top 20 British Goalscorers in Premier League History [Ranked]

Over the years, more and more impressive talents from across the globe have moved to the Premier League and left a lasting impression. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo are just a handful of the incredible stars to come from overseas and take England by storm.

With that said, there have also been plenty of superstars born in Britain who shone in the top flight. Whether they were Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or English, there have been more than a handful of British-born footballers who built significant legacies in the Premier League. Here are the 20 top scoring British footballers in Premier League history.

20 Darren Bent

106 Premier League goals

He might not have ever really made it at a top club, but throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, Darren Bent was a fine Premier League striker and was a serviceable option when it came to leading the forward line for teams looking to establish themselves in the top flight. The forward only had one truly exceptional season in the division, scoring 24 times for Sunderland during the 2009/10 campaign.

Despite that, he had plenty of years when he chipped in with at least nine goals and slowly built up a resume that many elite strikers would be envious of.

19 Paul Scholes

107 Premier League goals

There’s no doubt that Paul Scholes is one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history. There have been fierce debates on whether he’s the best English midfielder too, competing against Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard for that title. He was never a guaranteed goalscorer, but he still managed to find the back of the net 107 times in the Premier League.

His impressive return comes as a result of spending 19 seasons competing at the top of the division. He won just about everything there was to win during his time with Manchester United and had a knack for popping up with a vital goal whenever the Red Devils needed it the most.

18 Peter Crouch

108 Premier League goals

Now that he’s hung his boots up, Peter Crouch is mostly remembered for his towering frame and his iconic robot goal celebration. It can be easy to forget that he was actually a top striker in the Premier League during his prime too. Whether it was with Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur or Stoke City, the former English international was no stranger to hitting the back of the net.

He was a defender’s worst nightmare, dominating during set-pieces, but he also showed his acrobatic side at times, with some iconic overhead kicks. There’s a reason so many different top flight teams turned to Crouch for his services over the years.

17 Ryan Giggs

109 Premier League goals

He might be head and shoulders above anyone else in terms of all-time Premier League assists, but Ryan Giggs also chipped in with plenty of important goals during his career with Manchester United and is the only non-Englishman to feature on this list of the top British goalscorers in the history of the English top flight.

His longevity was unlike anything any football fan had ever seen before and his ability to continuously contribute at the top level well into his 30s helped ensure he earned a spot as one of the best footballers in Premier League history and certainly the best Welsh player to ever play in the division.

16 Emile Heskey

110 Premier League goals

Despite often being a lightening rod for fan frustrations, especially when representing the Three Lions, Emile Heskey actually had a very impressive run in the Premier League. He starred for some top teams, such as Liverpool and Aston Villa, and scored 110 goals in the English top flight over the course of an 18-year stint in it.

He was never the most prolific striker and only scored more than 10 league goals once during his time in the Premier League, but he was still no stranger to finding the back of the net, while his ability to hold up the ball, occupy opposition centre-backs and bring team-mates into play remains second to few.

15 Dion Dublin

111 Premier League goals

Nowadays, Dion Dublin is known more for his excellent work as a television pundit, but back in the day, he was a very good footballer in the English top flight. The former Aston Villa man hit double figures in terms of goals scored in six different seasons throughout his career and is a hero in the eyes of Coventry City fans.

Dublin won just one golden boot award during his career, but year after year, he was usually among the goals. His impressive form in the top flight didn’t translate to international football as the striker played just four times for England and failed to score a single goal.

14 Ian Wright

113 Premier League goals

Another ex-pro who has become synonymous with his work on television since hanging up his football boots, Ian Wright is an Arsenal legend and played a key role for the Gunners during the Premier League’s early years. Nowadays, he’s an excellent pundit, discussing and analysing the current generation of stars, but he’s only capable of filling that role after shining in a similar fashion during his own time on the pitch.

Despite scoring in double figures in each of the Premier League’s first six campaigns, Wright never won the golden boot during his time in the division. Regardless, he thrived and is fondly remembered for his exploits over two decades after his retirement.

13 Steven Gerrard

120 Premier League goals

Mr Liverpool, Steven Gerrard is one of the most iconic players in Premier League history. His ability to turn up on the biggest occasions and shine under the brightest lights helped make him a Liverpool legend. He showed on multiple occasions that he could almost single-handedly drag his team to success, and he did that with plenty of goals.

Despite being a central midfielder, Gerrard scored 120 Premier League goals over the years. His most iconic strikes might not have come in the Premier League, but he still contributed plenty in the league and while he never managed to get his hands on a title, he retired as one of the best footballers to ever appear in the English top flight.

12 Raheem Sterling

123 Premier League goals

The first player on this list to still actually be playing football in the Premier League, Raheem Sterling’s exploits in front of goal have gone a little underrated over the years. The winger has starred for some of the best teams in the division, in Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and now Arsenal. He has never been a stranger to scoring and while he’ll not be remembered as one of the most prolific players in the division’s history, he’s still scored plenty of goals.

Considering he’s still not even 30 years old, Sterling may still score more goals in the Premier League and even climb a few places higher on this list.

11 Jamie Vardy

140 Premier League goals

The second and only player on this list still playing in the Premier League, Jamie Vardy returned after a brief spell in the Championship with Leicester City and he’s picked up right where he left off in the top flight. The Foxes legend has won one golden boot during his time in the Premier League and he’s always been among the top scorers in the division.

Vardy is one of the biggest wind-up merchants in football history and he’s got an incredible resume to back up his winning attitude. Now 37 years old, it feels safe to assume that the Leicester man doesn’t have much time left in the top flight, but with 140 goals to his name already, he’ll retire as one of the most feared strikers to ever play in the division.

10 Teddy Sherringham

146 Premier League goals

Not only does Teddy Sherringham have 146 Premier League goals to his name, but he also holds the record for the oldest player to ever score in the top flight. At 40 years and 268 days old, the former United man got on the scoresheet for West Ham United in a match against Portsmouth on Boxing Day 2006.

It was a testament to how impressive he was during his career and just how long he held onto a spot at the top of the English football pyramid. Sherringham scored the first televised Premier League goal ever and even won the division’s first ever golden boot award later that year.

9 Les Ferdinand

149 Premier League goals

One of the Premier League’s first prolific goalscorers, Les Ferdinand shone with Queens Park Rangers, Newcastle United and Tottenham during his career in the top flight. The Englishman never won a golden boot during his time on the pitch, but he was named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year at the end of the 1995/96 campaign and had the honour of scoring the Premier League’s 10,000th goal during the 2001/02 season.

Ferdinand retired in 2006 and did so finishing just one goal shy of reaching the 150 milestone in the Premier League. Still, 149 is a very admirable return.

8 Michael Owen

150 Premier League goals

Considering how his career started at Liverpool, many would have expected Michael Owen to far surpass 150 Premier League goals by the time he called time on his playing days. He got off to an incredible start, winning the Ballon d’Or award at just 21 years old, but injuries and some disappointing spells with several clubs really slowed down his return in front of goal.

Still, scoring 150 times in the top flight is an incredible achievement and only seven British players have managed to beat that record over the years. It is scary to think about how much more he could have scored, though.

7 Jermaine Defoe

162 Premier League goals

One of the most likeable footballers in Premier League history, Jermaine Defoe is also one of the most prolific British players to ever appear in the division. The striker scored at a very impressive rate for multiple clubs, including West Ham, Tottenham and Sunderland. He never managed to break into the upper echelon in the league, but was the perfect striker for a team fighting in the middle of the table.

Named Tottenham’s Player of the Year in 2004 and Sunderland’s Player of the Year in 2016, Defoe proved he could deliver anywhere and while he won’t be remember as one of England’s best forwards ever, he’s certainly one of the country’s most underrated.

6 Robbie Fowler

163 Premier League goals

Until Mohamed Salah came along and broke his record, Robbie Fowler was Liverpool’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer and managed to hit the back of the net on 128 occasions for the Reds. He scored a further 35 goals elsewhere too, bringing his total to an impressive 163 strikes in the top flight throughout his career.

Fowler is one of the most forgotten heroes of the 1990s and 2000s. He never really succeeded in the English national team, coming through during a time when some of the best strikers in the world wore the Three Lions jersey. Still, he was a fantastic player and can hold his head high for a fine career.

5 Frank Lampard

177 Premier League goals

The last midfielder to appear on this list, Frank Lampard’s return in front of goal is quite remarkable considering his position. Few players outside of forwards have been able to score at the rate he did during his career and it ensured he went down as one of the best and most beloved figures in Premier League history.

After initially impressing with West Ham, he became a superstar with Chelsea and his goals for the Blues helped the club win plenty of silverware. He’s Chelsea’s all-time leading goalscorer and the top-scoring midfielder in Premier League history. It’s hard to imagine that record will be broken anytime soon.

4 Andrew Cole

187 Premier League goals

During the 1990s, few players dominated the Premier League quite like Andy Cole did. The forward was electric for Newcastle and Manchester United. He won one golden boot award during his time in the top flight and scored 187 goals in total. If it wasn’t for another former Magpie, he’d undoubtedly go down as the best English striker in the 1990s.

Regardless of his competition, he was a fine player and his goals secured plenty of trophies for Sir Alex Ferguson and his Red Devils during one of their periods of dominance. In 2024, he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame and was a very deserving inclusion.

3 Wayne Rooney

208 Premier League goals

Despite transitioning into a deeper role as his career progressed, Wayne Rooney started things off as a striker and an explosive one at that. The former Everton man burst onto the scene as a teenager and looked set to become the best English footballer of all-time. For the most part, he lived up to the lofty expectations placed on his head.

He became United’s all-time top scorer as well as England’s. He won plenty of trophies and scored over 200 times in the Premier League – and yet, there is still a feeling that Rooney was never quite as incredible as when he first broke onto the scene, suggesting he could’ve become one of football’s true all-time greats. His status as the Three Lions top scorer might have been erased, but he’s still one of the best English finishers ever.

2 Harry Kane

213 Premier League goals

It looked for a while like Harry Kane was going to become the all-time leading scorer in the Premier League, but his move to Bayern Munich in 2023 temporarily brought that belief to a halt. His time in England was nothing short of legendary, though, and his performances with Tottenham have ensured he’ll be remembered as one of the best strikers English football has ever seen.

He’s the club’s all-time top scorer as well as England’s leading scorer, surpassing Rooney. As things stand, Kane is still scoring for fun in Germany, but if he ever decides to return to the Premier League, there’s a very good chance he could add to his 213 strikes and maybe even overtake the figure at number one.

1 Alan Shearer

260 Premier League goals

The Premier League’s all-time top British scorer is also the leading scorer in general and that’s Alan Shearer. No one has scored at the rate he did during his time in the English top flight. Whether it was with Blackburn Rovers or Newcastle, he was simply unstoppable and no defender managed to keep him quiet over the years.

He might have only won one league title during his time on the football pitch, but Shearer still bagged plenty of goals and won the golden boot award on three separate occasions. Only Thierry Henry has more top scorer accolades than Shearer. With Kane now in Germany, it looks as though the former Newcastle man’s record as the all-time top scorer is secure for now.

All statistics courtesy of Premier League and accurate as of 12/11/2024