The highest-scoring XI in the history of men's international football

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 116th and 117th goals for Portugal over the weekend.

In a comfortable 4-0 UEFA Nations League win over Switzerland, the Manchester United star helped himself to a brace slotted between goals from William Carvalho and Diogo Jota.

It seemed like an eternity ago that Ronaldo established himself as the record goalscorer in men’s international football, surpassing the previous high watermark of 109 goals by Ali Daei.

And with Ronaldo still proving himself as one of the world’s best centre forwards at 37 years old, you dread to think how far clear of Daei he might have moved by the time that he retires.

However, just because it seems highly unlikely that anyone will top Ronaldo’s achievements on the international stage, that doesn’t mean he’s the only player to have been prolific for his country.

And lest we forget that not all goals are scored from the number nine position with plenty of stars making a name for themselves on the international stage by scoring from midfield or defence.

In fact, so wild is the sport we love dearly that even a handful of goalkeepers have managed to find the back of the net – their opponents’, that is – while sporting the colours of their country.

So, bearing that in mind, we decided to widen the net of prolific international goalscorers to look at the players in each position who have scored the most away from simply the club game.

Using the data over at Transfermarkt, we’ve been able to establish who would play alongside and behind Ronaldo in the highest-scoring international XI in the history of the men’s game.

From some of Ronaldo’s star-studded contemporaries to players you might never have heard of, be sure to check out the stunning line-up of players with the