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FIFA Women's World Cup top goalscorers

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refer to caption
Marta holds the record for most goals scored in the FIFA Women's World Cup
Birgit Prinz ranks second among players with the most goals, scoring 14, including one in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup final

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

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Table key
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
Players with at least 8 goals at the FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments
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

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Key
Goal set a new record
Goal equalled the existing record
Progressive list of footballers that have held the record for most goals scored at the FIFA Women's World Cup final tournaments
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
  • 1991 vs Nigeria (2), Chinese Taipei (2), Italy, Denmark, United States
  • 1995 vs Brazil (2)
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
  • 1991 vs Brazil, Japan (2), Chinese Taipei (5), Norway (2)
  • 1999 vs Nigeria
10 September 2007 Birgit Prinz  Germany 8–0 Argentina 11–0 2007, China
Group stage
  • 1995 vs Brazil
  • 1999 vs Brazil
  • 2003 vs Canada, Japan (2), Argentina, Russia (2), United States
  • 2007 vs Argentina (2)
13 17 September 2007  Germany 1–0 Japan 2–0 2007, China
Group stage
  • 1995 vs Brazil
  • 1999 vs Brazil
  • 2003 vs Canada, Japan (2), Argentina, Russia (2), United States
  • 2007 vs Argentina (3)
14 30 September 2007  Germany 1–0 Brazil 2–0 2007, China
Final
  • 1995 vs Brazil
  • 1999 vs Brazil
  • 2003 vs Canada, Japan (2), Argentina, Russia (2), United States
  • 2007 vs Argentina (3), Japan
10 July 2011 Marta  Brazil 2–1 United States 2–2 (a.e.t.) 2011, Germany
Quarter-final
  • 2003 vs South Korea, Norway, Sweden
  • 2007 vs New Zealand (2), China (2), Australia, United States (2)
  • 2011 vs Norway (2), United States
15 9 June 2015  Brazil 2–0 South Korea 2–0 2015, Canada
Group stage
  • 2003 vs South Korea, Norway, Sweden
  • 2007 vs New Zealand (2), China (2), Australia, United States (2)
  • 2011 vs Norway (2), United States (2)
16 13 June 2019  Brazil 1–0 Australia 2–3 2019, France
Group stage
  • 2003 vs South Korea, Norway, Sweden
  • 2007 vs New Zealand (2), China (2), Australia, United States (2)
  • 2011 vs Norway (2), United States (2)
  • 2015 vs South Korea
17 18 June 2019  Brazil 1–0 Italy 1–0 2019, France
Group stage
  • 2003 vs South Korea, Norway, Sweden
  • 2007 vs New Zealand (2), China (2), Australia, United States (2)
  • 2011 vs Norway (2), United States (2)
  • 2015 vs South Korea
  • 2019 vs Australia

Top goalscorers for each tournament

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Top goalscorers at each FIFA Women's World Cup final tournament
World Cup Player Team Goals
scored
Matches
played
Golden
Boot
Other FIFA Awards
China 1991 Michelle Akers-Stahl  United States 10 6 Yes Silver Ball
Sweden 1995 Ann Kristin Aarønes  Norway 6 6 Yes Bronze Ball
United States 1999 Sissi  Brazil 7 6 Yes Silver Ball
Sun Wen  China 6 Yes Golden Ball
United States 2003 Birgit Prinz  Germany 7 6 Yes Golden Ball
China 2007 Marta  Brazil 7 6 Yes Golden Ball
Germany 2011 Homare Sawa  Japan 5 6 Yes Golden Ball
Canada 2015 Célia Šašić  Germany 6 7 Yes
Carli Lloyd  United States 7 No Silver Boot, Golden Ball
France 2019 Megan Rapinoe  United States 6 6 Yes Golden Ball
Alex Morgan  United States 6 No Silver Boot
Ellen White  England 6 No Bronze Boot
Australia/New Zealand 2023 Hinata Miyazawa  Japan 5 5 Yes

Goalscorers at multiple tournaments

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Players who scored at 3 or more separate World Cups
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

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References

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  1. ^ "Women World Cup » All-time Topscorers". WorldFootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL Medien GmbH & Co. KG. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  2. ^ "Every FIFA Women's World Cup top scorer". FIFA. Retrieved 2023-03-23.