These Strikers Broke Records & Became Legends (Kane’s Next?)
Bundesliga Royalty
With high-paced games, loyal supporters, and a long history of attacking prowess, it’s no wonder that the Bundesliga has ascended to the ranks of the world’s greatest football leagues. Clubs such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen don’t just lord it over domestically — they also attract the attention of all of Europe. The league, which began play in 1963, has regularly churned out an impressive roster of elite goal-scorers —players whose names will be etched in the record books and into the souls of fans.
Let’s take a closer look at the names who define the Bundesliga scoring record, and how today’s stars are challenging history.
Gerd Müller
Gerd Müller, famously nicknamed “Der Bomber,” remains the Bundesliga’s top goal scorer of all time. With an astonishing 365 league goals, his legacy still looms large over German football. According to FIFA and the RSSSF, he racked up 735 goals and 106 assists in official matches, making him one of the most prolific scorers in football history.
Müller’s impact wasn’t limited to the domestic scene. He won the European Cup three times with Bayern Munich and scored in the final of every major international tournament he played: the World Cup, the European Championship, and European club finals. No one else has accomplished that treble. He set the gold standard for what it means to be a striker—not just in Germany, but worldwide.
Robert Lewandowski
Second on the list of Bundesliga goal leaders is Robert Lewandowski, whose 312 goals came during a dominant decade-long run with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. He’s not just known for numbers—he’s remembered for rewriting what seemed like unbreakable records.
In the 2020/21 season, Lewandowski shattered Müller’s single-season scoring record of 40 goals, netting 41 in just 29 appearances. That same season, he was crowned FIFA Men’s Player of the Year and later won it again in 2021. He also earned the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year and multiple spots in UEFA’s Team of the Season.
Lewandowski holds Guinness World Records for the fastest hat-trick, four-goal, and five-goal hauls in a single match. No non-German player has scored more goals in the league. He was, quite literally, unstoppable.
Klaus Fischer
Klaus Fischer might not always be mentioned first, but his place among Bundesliga top goal scorers is well-earned. With 268 goals to his name, Fischer was known not just for quantity, but for flair—his iconic bicycle kicks are part of league folklore.
Over nearly two decades, he became one of just 11 players to appear in over 500 Bundesliga matches. He won the Torjägerkanone (top scorer award) in 1976 and became a cult hero for his acrobatic finishes.
Jupp Heynckes
Many recognize Jupp Heynckes as the coach who led Bayern Munich to a historic treble in 2013. But before his managerial success, he was a lethal striker with 220 Bundesliga goals. Almost all of them came from his hometown club Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he was instrumental during their golden era in the 1970s.
Heynckes won four league titles, a UEFA Cup, and the DFB Pokal as a player, and was a key part of the West German squad that lifted the 1972 European Championship and the 1974 World Cup.
Manfred Burgsmüller
With a Bundesliga career that spanned over two decades and included four different clubs, Manfred Burgsmüller netted 213 league goals. His best run came with Borussia Dortmund, where he scored 135 times.
What makes Burgsmüller remarkable is his consistency across different teams and eras. He’s a reminder that longevity and adaptability are just as crucial as explosive form.
Which Active Players Are Climbing the Bundesliga Top Goal Scorers List?
The legacy of the league’s greats is now being chased by a new generation. Chief among them is Harry Kane. The English striker made an immediate impact upon arriving at Bayern Munich, scoring 62 goals in his first 63 appearances. With that kind of efficiency, it’s no surprise that Bundesliga betting odds now shift dramatically based on Kane’s presence in the lineup.
Another rising figure is Serhou Guirassy. At 29, the Dortmund striker has quietly amassed 64 Bundesliga goals, and with his prime years still ahead, he’s positioning himself as one of the league’s most dangerous forwards.
Have Any Bundesliga Top Goal Scorers Won the Ballon D’Or?
Only one Bundesliga top goal scorer has lifted the Ballon d’Or—Gerd Müller in 1970. While other Bundesliga players have won the award (like Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Lothar Matthäus), Müller remains the only one who was also the league’s goal king. That speaks to just how rare it is for a Bundesliga striker to receive global recognition at that level.
