Top scorer in international women's football: From Alex Morgan and Marta to Christine Sinclair 

If someone asked you to name the leading goal-scorer in international football, you might be inclined to name Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

That, however, is not the case.

In fact, if you were to slot top male scorer Ronaldo's tally of 122 goals among the top 15 scorers in women's football, he would find himself 8th.

And that is because Christine Sinclair currently tops the charts with 190 goals in 324 appearances for Canada.

She leapfrogged the USA’s Abby Wambach, who had originally topped the leaderboard with 184 goals for her country.

And even though an American is no longer leading the way with goals scored, Wambach is just one of a staggering six USWNT players in the top 15.

But just how many of the most prolific goal-scorers in women’s football do you know?

Here are the top 10 women's international goal-scorers.

For Sinclair, clinching that record had been a long time coming, and in 2020 Christine Sinclair finally became the all-time leading goal-scorer in women's international football.

In January of that year, a 23rd-minute strike in an Olympic qualifier sealed the deal for the Canadian. It's been a 22-year international career so far, and Sinclair isn't letting up just yet.

She will be there when Canada embark on the 2023 World Cup down under and intends to be at the Olympic Games (2024) too; the veteran will no doubt be enthused after her homeland went to the Tokyo 2022 Games and brought back Gold - her first major honours in this glittering career.

Other notable inclusions in the top 10 include Marta and Alex Morgan.

For the Brazilian, she is someone history will look back fondly on and the records she has broken. At Tokyo 2020 in 2021, she became the first player of any gender to score at five-consecutive Olympic Games.

"I hope you're dreaming about what you did a few hours ago," wrote fellow Brazil legend Pele when she scored in Tokyo.

"Speaking of which, how many dreams do you think you inspired today?"

There is no possible number to encapsulate the impact Marta has had on women's football.

Morgan is also among the leading scorers who have inspired a whole generation of players to follow in her footsteps. But one moment in her career stands above the rest for fans. 

And that goal is Morgan's last-minute winner against rivals Canada in the epic semi-finals at the 2012 Olympic Games.

"It's in! Alex Morgan has won it!", the infamous header may just be the pick of a plentiful bunch.

And she produced some more heroics scoring the decisive penalty to win the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship for Team USA that secured their Olympic ticket for Paris 2024.

Looking to the future: Who could rival Sinclair for top spot?

With many of the top 15 already retired, a new age of footballers could look to rise to the top of the leaderboard.

But who is already on their way up?

Perhaps the most obvious candidate is the Netherlands' Vivianne Miedema.

She breaks records for club and country for fun.

In 2019, Miedema overtook her footballing hero, Robin van Persie, to become the country's all-time leading scorer.

At Tokyo 2020, she added 10 goals to her account, breaking the record for the most goals scored in a single Olympics tournament.

She now has 95 goals in 115 appearances for her country.

Unfortunately, in December 2022 the Dutch sensational suffered an unimaginable ACL injury and subsequently ruled herself out of the 2023 World Cup. Miedema herself called it 'unrealistic' to expect her to return in time.

But, with time on her side, the 26-year-old could certainly catch up to, and potentially overtake, Sinclair in the future.