On Sunday, 27 July, Jose Luis Chilavert celebrated his 60th birthday. The former Paraguay goalkeeper had a superb career between the sticks, but is remembered more for his goal-scoring abilities over his shot-stopping prowess.
Chilavert was considered a specialist set-piece taker throughout his career, scoring a remarkable 67 goals for club and country. However, is that enough to earn him the accolade of the highest-scoring goalkeeper of all time? All is revealed below.
Top ten highest-scoring goalkeepers of all time
10) Hans-Jorg Butt – 33 goals
Hans-Jorg Butt enjoyed a stellar career as a goalkeeper in Germany, playing for Hamburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
At different stages throughout his career, most regularly at Hamburg, Butt was a trusted penalty taker with his best goal return coming in the 1999-2000 season when he found the back of the net nine times. Butt also holds the record for the highest scoring goalkeeper in the Champions League with three goals.
9) Fernando Patterson – 35 goals
Fernando Patterson was a Costa Rican goalkeeper who retired in 2013 after spending the majority of his career in Guatemala. Patterson, who made one cap for his country, was sometimes deployed as a striker in Guatemalan football, which helped him to accumulate 35 goals across his career.
8) Fabio Rampi – 40 goals
Fabio Rampi is the only player on this list who is still actively playing professional football, with the Brazilian currently plying his trade for Sao Jose in the lower leagues of Brazilian football. Rampi started his career with Cruzeiro RS where he only managed two goals before discovering his penalty-taking abilities at Sao Jose.
7) Marcio – 40 goals
Tied with Favio Rampi on 40 goals is fellow Brazilian, Marcio, who retired in 2019. Marcio spent the bulk of his career with Aletico Clube Goianiense, where he became the club's designated penalty taker for a period. In total, Marcio netted 37 goals for Aletico Clube Goianiense, with his other three being spread across the other teams he played for in South America.
6) Dimitar Ivankov – 42 goals
Dimitar Ivankov was a Bulgarian goalkeeper who scored 42 goals over the course of his career, which is made all the more impressive when you consider he spent his entire career in the top leagues in Turkey and Bulgaria. Ivankov is the highest-scoring goalkeeper in European football history and wasn't a bad shot stopper, too, as proven by his 64 Bulgaria caps.
5) Rene Higuita – 43 goals
Rene Higuita is arguably the most famous goalkeeper on this list, but remarkably, his fame isn't due to the fact that he scored 43 goals, but rather for the famous scorpion kick he performed in a friendly against England in 1990. That moment, in addition to his general high-risk play, earned him the nickname El Loco (The Madman).
Rene Higuita 🆚 England
pic.twitter.com/WI5gZSKIV3— Best Goalkeeper Saves (@BestSavesGK) July 25, 2025
4) Johnny Vegas – 45 goals
No, you've not been transported to a parallel universe where the comedian, Johnny Vegas, was a sweeper keeper who scored goals, but there was once a Peruvian goalkeeper with the same name who had an eye for goal. Remarkably, nine of Vegas' 45 goals were from open play, making him more than just a set-piece threat.
3) Jorge Campos – 46 goals
Unlike the majority of goalkeepers on this list, Jorge Campos could also play outfield, which is how he accumulated his 46 career goals. Campos scored 28 goals for Pumas between 1989 and 1991 while the club had another player in between the sticks. Later on in his career, he would frequently move up front if his team needed a goal.
2) Jose Luis Chilavert – 67 goals
Despite not being the highest-scoring goalkeeper of all time, Jose Luis Chilavert is probably better known than the only man in front of him. Chilavert was a trailblazer for goal-scoring goalkeepers and still holds the record for the most international goals scored with eight. Chilavert was also the first goalkeeper to score a hat-trick after scoring three penalties in a match for Velez in 1999.
1) Rogerio Ceni – 129
Yes, you've read that right, there was once a goalkeeper who amassed 129 goals over the course of his career. Rogerio Ceni doesn't get the attention he deserves, especially as he also made 17 appearances for the Brazil national team. While most goal-scoring goalkeepers are penalty takers, Ceni was also a specialist free-kick taker and scored 59 direct free-kicks in his career.
