Top 7 Lionesses Scorers: Ladies Making History
Scroll DownWith the Women's Super League in full swing, focus now shifts to the Lionesses and upcoming international matches.
This autumn, they'll play two crucial fixtures at Wembley, facing Germany on 25th October and the USA on 30th November. These games will be key tests ahead of major tournaments, particularly qualification for the UEFA Women's Euros 2026.
And who knows? Maybe we'll see some record-breaking goals and changes to our Lionesses top scorers rankings! Read on to discover the Lionesses' top scorers and how they are continuing to champion women's football.
Buy Lionesses hospitality ticketsLionesses top scorers in order of goals scored
Rank | Player | Goals | Appearances |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Ellen White | 52 | 113 |
2 | Kelly Smith | 46 | 117 |
3 | Kerry Davis | 43 | 90 |
4 | Karen Walker | 41 | 86 |
5 | Fara Williams | 40 | 172 |
6= | Eniola Aluko | 33 | 105 |
6= | Karen Carney | 33 | 144 |
6= | Beth Mead | 33 | 57 |
7 | Marieanne Spacey (Spacey-Cale) | 30 | 94 |
1. Ellen White
Former Manchester City star Ellen White tops the list as the best Lionesses scorer with 52 goals in 113 appearances. White made her senior debut in March 2010, rounding off a 3-0 win with a goal in the closing minutes.
At the 2019 Women's World Cup White finished the tournament as joint top goal scorer with six goals, cementing her position as the top Lionesses scorer in World Cup history.
White retired at the end of the 2022/23 playing season and now works with the BBC punditry team.
2. Kelly Smith
Kelly Smith ranks second among the top Lionesses goal scorers, with 46 goals. Known for her impeccable footwork, dribbling, and pin-point accuracy, she is considered to be one of the best Lionesses strikers of all time.
Smith made her Lionesses debut on 1st November 1995, just three days after her 17th birthday. Her first goal for England came in her second game against Croatia where she scored a stoppage time penalty in a 5-0 win over Croatia.
In February 2015 Smith announced her international retirement. Since then she has gone into coaching, in April 2023 it was announced that Smith would be returning to her old club Arsenal as part of the first team coaching set up.
3. Kerry Davis
Kerry Davis is the third best Lionesses goal scorer with 43 goals and was the first Black women to represent England.
During Davis' sixteen year long international career she represented England in their first FIFA Women's World Cup and the inaugural 1984 UEFA championships finals.
Davis was the top Lionesses scorer until February 2009, when Kelly Smith netted twice against Finland, making her the top scorer with 45 goals.
4. Karen Walker
Walker began appearing in the Lionesses line up as a teenager in 1988. She scored an impressive 41 goals in 86 appearances. After making her debut in 1988, she became a staple in the Lionesses line up.
After her retirement in 2003, the Football Association recognised her as the 13th most-capped female played in England history.
5. Fara Williams
Williams played for England from 2001 to 2019, scoring 40 goals in 172 appearances. Her debut came in 2001 against Portugal, aged only 17. She scored her first goal on her first start for the Lioness' in the return fixture against Portugal at Fratton Park.
Fara Williams holds the record as the most-capped Lionesses striker of all time, with 172 appearances between 2001-2019.
Williams retired in 2019 and transitioned into media, becoming a regular pundit for BBC, covering WSL matches, Lionesses games and larger football events. She also runs a popular podcast, Boots, Balls & Bras that discusses the biggest news in the women's game.
6. Eniola Aluko
Eniola Aluko scored 33 goals in 102 appearances for England, joining the national setup at just 14 years old. With dual British and Nigerian nationality, she chose to play for England, becoming a standout Lionesses goal scorer.
Eniola Aluko, a former England forward, has made history by becoming the first Black female football club owner in ltaly.
— Document Women (@DocumentWomen) April 16, 2024
Congratulations 🎉 @EniAlu pic.twitter.com/ainUYCg4vB
Post-retirement, Aluko transitioned into broadcasting and business, becoming the director of women's football at Aston Villa and helping to grow the women’s game.
In April 2024, Eniola Aluko made history as the first Black female football club owner in Italy.
6. Karen Carney
Karen Carney played 144 times for England between 2005 and 2019, scoring 33 goals. She made her senior debut under Hope Powell in a 4-1 win against Italy and gained attention after scoring the winning goal against Finland at the UEFA Women’s Euros in 2005.
Carney retired after the 2019 World Cup and has since taken on roles to support women footballers post-career. In August 2022, she was appointed chair of the Future of Women’s Football Review for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
6. Beth Mead
Current Arsenal and Lionesses striker Beth Mead is joint sixth with 33 goals. She made her international debut in April 2018 and scored twice in a 6-0 win over Kazakhstan.
In October 2021, she became the first woman to score a hat-trick at Wembley during a 4-0 win over Northern Ireland. Mead was pivotal in the Lionesses’ UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 victory and was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2022.
7. Marianne Spacey
Marianne Spacey played 91 times for the Lionesses, scoring 28 goals. She made her debut in 1984 against Belgium.
After retiring, Spacey moved into coaching and currently leads Southampton FC Ladies, taking on the role of overseeing their women’s and girls' programmes after the 2023/24 season.
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