Romelu Lukaku international goals total: How Belgium record goal scorer compares to Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar

Belgium entered Euro 2024 without a significant amount of pressure — something that hasn't happened at a major tournament for at least a decade.

The Red Devils' "Golden Generation" never managed to fare better than third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, despite boasting a star-studded squad that was expected to deliver major honors.

With the likes of Eden Hazard and Vincent Kompany now retired, Kevin De Bruyne arguably declining, and Thibaut Courtois not in the squad, the weight of expectation is a little lighter on the shoulders of coach Domenico Tedesco and his players.

However, their bid to qualify from Group E was still dealt a shock early blow with a 1-0 defeat against Slovakia. They recovered in their second match by winning 2-0 against Romania, but have it all to play for going into the last game to reach the knockouts.

Their chances of qualifying, or even winning the Euros, may largely rest on the performances of striker Romelu Lukaku, who is Belgium's greatest goal scorer by a distance and ended the 2023/24 Serie A season with three goals in his final four games for Roma.

But how does Lukaku compare with the best men's goal scorers in history, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?

MORE: Belgium's Euro 2024 squad in full, including keepers battling to take Courtois' place

Romelu Lukaku international goals total

As of June 26, 2024, Lukaku had scored 85 goals in 118 appearances, making him the record goal scorer for the Belgium men's national team. He is 52 goals clear of Eden Hazard in second place.

After he climbed above Ferenc Puskas in the all-time international goal scorer standings, Cristiano Ronaldo is the only European man in history to have scored more senior international goals than Lukaku, who first got on the scoresheet for his country against Russia in a friendly match in November 2010.

Lukaku broke Belgium's goal record by scoring his 31st for his country against Japan in 2017, but FIFA did not recognize the feat at the time, as a 2014 friendly against Luxembourg, in which he scored a hat-trick, was declared void after Belgium broke rules by making too many substitutions.

The former Chelsea and Manchester United striker came third in the Golden Boot standings at the 2018 World Cup, behind Antoine Griezmann and Harry Kane.

Who has scored the most goals in men's international football?

Lukaku is one of only nine men's footballers to score more than 80 times in senior internationals. Given he is only 31, he has a good chance of reaching 100 goals for his country, something only three other male players can claim to have done.

Lukaku is six goals ahead of Brazil's record-holder Neymar, but he has some way to go if he is to catch Lionel Messi and all-time top men's international scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.

Most international goals: Men's all-time top 10

Table below is updated as of June 26, 2024.

*Denotes active player