When it comes to the conversation of the top soccer clubs in the world, Manchester United is almost always included. Their trophy-laden cabinets are the envy of their peers and their stellar record in the English Premier League (EPL) is the stuff of legend. United’s success has been largely due to the exceptional players they have had and particularly their goalscorers, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Paul Scholes, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Eric Cantona, Dimitar Berbatov, and Robin van Persie having donned the red jersey. There is however one player who stands head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to scoring goals.
Who is Manchester United’s all time top scorer? Former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney is Manchester United’s all time top scorer with an awe-inspiring 253 goals in 559 appearances for the English side over an illustrious 13-year period.
Manchester United All Time Top Scorer
| Manchester United All Time Top Goal Scorers – 2022* | ||||
| Rank | Name | Goals | Games | Active |
| 1 | Wayne Rooney | 253 | 559 | 2004-2017 |
| 2 | Bobby Charlton | 249 | 758 | 1956-1973 |
| 3 | Denis Law | 237 | 404 | 1962-1973 |
| 4 | Jack Rowley | 211 | 424 | 1937-1955 |
| 5 | Dennis Viollet | 179 | 293 | 1952-1962 |
| 5 | George Best | 179 | 470 | 1962-1974 |
| 7 | Joe Spence | 168 | 510 | 1919-1933 |
| 7 | Ryan Giggs | 168 | 963 | 1991-2014 |
| 9 | Mark Hughes | 163 | 467 | 1983-1986, 1988-1995 |
| 10 | Paul Scholes | 155 | 718 | 1994-2011, 2012-2013 |
| 11 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | 150 | 219 | 2001-2006 |
| 12 | Stan Pearson | 148 | 343 | 1937-1954 |
| 13 | David Heard | 145 | 265 | 1961-1968 |
| 14 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 144 | 342 | 2003-2009, 2021- |
| 15 | Tommy Taylor | 131 | 191 | 1953-1958 |
| 16 | Brian McClair | 127 | 471 | 1987-1998 |
| 17 | Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | 126 | 366 | 1996-2007 |
| 18 | Andy Cole | 121 | 275 | 1995-2001 |
| 19 | Sandy Turnbull | 101 | 247 | 1907-1915 |
| 20 | Joe Cassidy | 100 | 174 | 1893-1900 |
*Data Accurate to start of the 2022-23 season.
Maybe surprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo, who holds almost every club scoring record that exists, with his 700 career goals is only 14th on the Man Utd all time list. This is a testament to both the quality Old Trafford has seen over the years and the evolution of Ronaldo’s game. His first spell at Utd saw him play much more as a creative wide player. Causing havoc in Fergie’s counter attacking sides that dominated the Premier League for so long.
Promising Prospect
Many have said that Wayne Rooney was born to play soccer. Born to a working-class family in Croxteth, Liverpool – a suburb in Merseyside, England – Rooney took to soccer at a tender age and was an ardent supporter of his favorite team, Everton.
The then-young Englishman showed flashes of brilliance from the word go, learning the ropes at Liverpool Schoolboys and Copplehouse Boy ‘Club where he scored 72 and 99 goals respectively in a season, catching the eye of Bob Pendleton – an Everton scout.
Upon joining Everton aged nine, Rooney grew in leaps and bounds and was often paired with much older competition who he always managed to best. Among his many bright spots was his stellar run of scoring a goal in each of the eight games he played in the 2002 FA Youth Cup tournament, which earned a call-up to the senior team that summer.
Rise to Prominence
After making his first team debut in a 2-all draw against league rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Rooney continued his great form and ultimately scored his maiden goals for the club – a brace in a 3-0 win against former EFL side Wrexham.
The then 16-year-old announced his arrival on to the big stage by scoring a last-minute wonder goal against Arsenal in October 2002 to their 30-game unbeaten run, prompting ex-Gunners boss Arsène Wenger to dub the youngster the “biggest England talent” he’d ever seen since arriving in England.
The feat earned Rooney the admiration of the soccer world, his first professional contract, and his first honor – the 2002 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year. The 2003 Bravo Award recipient went on to score 17 goals in 77 appearances over the next two seasons before Manchester United came knocking.
Arrival at United
In late July 2004, United signed Rooney to a five-year deal after agreeing to a deal that would see them pay Everton a total of £27 million, which was then the highest fee that was ever paid for a teenage player.
League rivals Newcastle and Chelsea had given United a run for their money until legendary Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson convinced the club’s board to break the bank to land the budding star. Upon his arrival at Old Trafford “The Wonder Boy” was handed the number eight shirt that had been worn by club greats such as Paul Ince and Nicky Butt.
Rooney immediately got down to work, netting a hat-trick and notching an assist in his debut – 1 6-2 demolition of Turkish powerhouses Fenerbahçe in a UEFA Champions League fixture. The 2004 Golden Boy award winner was the only silver lining in an underperforming United side registering 17 goals in 43 appearances to be named that season’s PFA Young Player of the Year.
Wazza also won the BBC Goal of the Season award for his screamer in United’s FA Cup clash against former top-flight side Middlesbrough. The 2002 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year was also United’s top EPL scorer with 11 goals.
Goalscorer Extraordinaire
The next two seasons saw Rooney scored 42 goals in 103 appearances across all competitions including an impressive 16 goals in 26 EPL matches in their 2005-06 campaign and 14 league goals in the next. His continued on-pitch brilliance won him his first major trophy at the club in his second season – the League Cup – and his first EPL title in his third.
Rooney inherited the number 10 shirt ahead of United’s 2007-08 season after Ruud van Nistelrooy’s departure from the club. In what was undeniably one of his best seasons with the club, Rooney scored 12 league goals in 27 appearances and 18 goals in 43 appearances across all competitions. The two-time PFA Young Player of the Year winner’s contributions enabled United to win the EPL title, the UEFA Champions League trophy (the club’s third and final one to date), and the FA Charity Shield.
“The White Pele” won another three EPL titles for United in their 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2012-13 seasons, scoring 12, 11, and 12 league goals respectively in those campaigns. His best outings scoring-wise were United 2009-10 and 2011-12 seasons where he scored 34 goals in 44 and 43 appearances for the English giants across all competitions.
Among the numerous honors Rooney won while at United include PFA Players’ Player of the Year, FWA Footballer of the Year, and Manchester United Players’ Player of the Year awards in 2010, three PFA Team of the Year selections (2006, 2010, and 2012), two Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year awards (2006 and 2010), the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball (2008), five Premier League Player of the Month nods and the Premier League Player of the Season award (2010).
Life After United
After 13 seasons at Old Trafford, Rooney left United for his boyhood club Everton ahead of the 2017-18 EPL season, where he stayed for a season scoring 11 goals in 40 appearances. Upon leaving the Toffees, Rooney joined Major League Soccer side D.C United and former Championship side Derby County scoring 25 goals in 52 appearances and 7 goals in 35 appearances respectively during his tenures at the clubs.
While at Derby, Rooney got a chance at management and retired from playing. He had mixed results at the club but managed to steer them past relegation to the third tier before resigning in late June 2022. The very next month, Rooney was appointed the head coach of D.C United – a position he has held as of the writing of this article. 5