The top 20 football clubs ranked simply by goals scored since 2000
No trophies, no opinions: the 20 clubs that scored the most goals in the first 20 years of the 21st century, with goals per game for every club.
Who has been the best attacking club of the 21st century? Forget trophies and arguments. This ranking uses just one number: how many goals each club scored from 2000 to 2020, the first 20 years of the century. We've also worked out goals per game, because some clubs played a lot more matches than others.
The top 20
| # | Club | Goals | Games | Goals per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 2,730 | 1,193 | 2.29 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 2,633 | 1,162 | 2.27 |
| 3 | Bayern Munich | 2,496 | 1,060 | 2.35 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 2,254 | 1,164 | 1.94 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 2,227 | 1,156 | 1.93 |
| 6 | Manchester United | 2,226 | 1,169 | 1.90 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 2,059 | 1,135 | 1.81 |
| 8 | Paris Saint-Germain | 2,033 | 1,077 | 1.89 |
| 9 | Manchester City | 1,963 | 1,024 | 1.92 |
| 10 | Lyon | 1,938 | 1,069 | 1.81 |
| 11 | Juventus | 1,897 | 1,038 | 1.83 |
| 12 | AS Roma | 1,779 | 1,013 | 1.76 |
| 13 | Inter Milan | 1,775 | 1,040 | 1.71 |
| 14 | Tottenham | 1,772 | 1,042 | 1.70 |
| 15 | Sevilla | 1,764 | 1,077 | 1.64 |
| 16 | Borussia Dortmund | 1,727 | 921 | 1.88 |
| 17 | Bayer Leverkusen | 1,727 | 929 | 1.86 |
| 18 | Valencia | 1,709 | 1,083 | 1.58 |
| 19 | AC Milan | 1,683 | 1,025 | 1.64 |
| 20 | Atlético Madrid | 1,682 | 1,074 | 1.57 |
What the numbers tell us
- Barcelona are top with 2,730 goals, the Messi era in one number. Real Madrid are less than 100 behind.
- Bayern Munich are the deadliest per game. They're third on total goals, but their 2.35 goals per game is the best in the top 20. They simply played fewer matches.
- Chelsea beat Manchester United by one goal. 2,227 to 2,226 after 20 years. It doesn't get closer than that.
- Arsenal are England's top scorers with 2,254, ahead of Chelsea and United.
- Dortmund and Leverkusen are tied on 1,727 goals, but both scored them in far fewer games than most clubs above them. That makes them two of the most attacking teams on the list.
- Atlético Madrid only just make it, which fits their reputation: famous for defending, not for scoring loads.
Why goals per game matters
Clubs that go deep in cups and in Europe play more matches, so they get more chances to score. Goals per game is fairer. On that measure, the top three are Bayern (2.35), Barcelona (2.29) and Real Madrid (2.27), with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all on about 1.9.
What's missing?
This ranking only counts goals. It doesn't care about trophies, who they played against or how many goals they let in. It also stops in 2020, so clubs that have scored loads since then, like Manchester City, would climb if it were counted again today.
Collect the players behind the goals
Open packs and build your own dream team on HeyFootball.