StrikerDuel
Marco van Basten

Marco van Basten

Forward · 1981 to 1994

Goals
306
Appearances
437
Goals per game
0.70
Major honours
72

Scored 154 of 306 career goals for Ajax, at 0.89 per game.

Goals by age

Career total by age

Add a rival
Career total by age
AgeGoals
171
1816
1945
2075
21116
22160
23173
24208
25241
26254
27284
28306
29306
30306

Career timeline

  1. Age 17 · 1981–82Ajax
    Goals1 · Apps2 · Per game0.50
    Eredivisie 1981–82
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps1 · Goals1
    Domestic cupApps1 · Goals0
  2. Age 18 · 1982–83Ajax
    Goals13 · Apps25 · Per game0.52
    Eredivisie 1982–83KNVB Cup 1982–83
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps20 · Goals9
    Domestic cupApps5 · Goals4
  3. Age 19 · 1983–84Ajax
    Goals29 · Apps32 · Per game0.91

    3 caps · 2 goals

    Eredivisie Top Scorer 1983–84European Silver Boot 1983–84
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps26 · Goals28
    Domestic cupApps4 · Goals1
    ContinentalApps2 · Goals0
  4. Age 20 · 1984–85Ajax
    Goals29 · Apps41 · Per game0.71

    3 caps · 0 goals

    Eredivisie 1984–85Eredivisie Top Scorer 1984–85
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps33 · Goals22
    Domestic cupApps4 · Goals2
    ContinentalApps4 · Goals5
  5. Age 21 · 1985–86Ajax
    Goals39 · Apps31 · Per game1.26

    4 caps · 1 goals

    KNVB Cup 1985–86Eredivisie Top Scorer 1985–86Dutch Footballer of the Year 1985European Golden Shoe 1985–86World Golden Boot 1985–86
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps26 · Goals37
    Domestic cupApps3 · Goals2
    ContinentalApps2 · Goals0
  6. Age 22 · 1986–87Ajax
    Goals43 · Apps43 · Per game1.00

    4 caps · 2 goals

    KNVB Cup 1986–87European Cup Winners' Cup 1986–87Eredivisie Top Scorer 1986–87
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps27 · Goals31
    Domestic cupApps7 · Goals6
    ContinentalApps9 · Goals6
  7. From Ajax to AC Milan
  8. Age 23 · 1987–88AC Milan
    Goals8 · Apps19 · Per game0.42

    4 caps · 1 goals

    Serie A 1987–88Bravo Award 1987Onze d'Argent 1987Onze de Onze 1987
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps11 · Goals3
    Domestic cupApps5 · Goals5
    ContinentalApps3 · Goals0
  9. Age 24 · 1988–89AC Milan
    Goals33 · Apps47 · Per game0.70

    9 caps · 5 goals

    Supercoppa Italiana 1988Champions League 1988–89European Championship 1988Ballon d'Or 1988European Cup Top Scorer 1988–89Onze d'Or 1988Onze de Onze 1988IFFHS World's Best Player 1988World Soccer Player of the Year 1988UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament 1988
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps33 · Goals19
    Domestic cupApps4 · Goals3
    ContinentalApps9 · Goals10
    OtherApps1 · Goals1
  10. Age 25 · 1989–90AC Milan
    Goals25 · Apps42 · Per game0.60

    5 caps · 2 goals

    Champions League 1989–90European Super Cup 1989Club World Cup 1989Ballon d'Or 1989UEFA Best Player of the Year 1989Capocannoniere 1989–90Onze d'Or 1989Onze de Onze 1989IFFHS World's Best Player 1989
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps26 · Goals19
    Domestic cupApps4 · Goals1
    ContinentalApps9 · Goals4
    OtherApps3 · Goals1
  11. Age 26 · 1990–91AC Milan
    Goals11 · Apps35 · Per game0.31

    11 caps · 8 goals

    European Super Cup 1990Club World Cup 1990UEFA Best Player of the Year 1990
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps31 · Goals11
    Domestic cupApps1 · Goals0
    ContinentalApps2 · Goals0
    OtherApps1 · Goals0
  12. Age 27 · 1991–92AC Milan
    Goals29 · Apps38 · Per game0.76

    5 caps · 2 goals

    Serie A 1991–92Capocannoniere 1991–92Onze de Onze 1991
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps31 · Goals25
    Domestic cupApps7 · Goals4
  13. Age 28 · 1992–93AC Milan
    Goals22 · Apps24 · Per game0.92

    10 caps · 1 goals

    Serie A 1992–93Supercoppa Italiana 1992Ballon d'Or 1992FIFA Best Player 1992UEFA Best Player of the Year 1992Onze d'Argent 1992Onze de Onze 1992World Soccer Player of the Year 1992RSSSF Player of the Year 1992El País King of European Soccer 1992UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament 1992
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps15 · Goals13
    Domestic cupApps1 · Goals0
    ContinentalApps7 · Goals8
    OtherApps1 · Goals1
  14. Age 29 · 1993–94AC Milan
    Goals0 · Apps0 · Per game0.00
    Serie A 1993–94
  15. Age 30 · 1994–95AC Milan
    Goals0 · Apps0 · Per game0.00

Career totals

By club
ClubYearsAppsGoalsPer gameShare
Ajax1981–19861741540.8955%
AC Milan1987–19942051280.6245%
By competition
AppsGoals
League280218
Domestic cup4628
Continental4733
Other63
International5824

Competition splits are available for 86% of this player's seasons.

By country
AppsGoals
Netherlands174154
Italy205128

Honours

Team trophies
European Championship1 time · 1988
Champions League2 times · 1988–89, 1989–90
Club World Cup2 times · 1989, 1990
Serie A4 times · 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94
Eredivisie3 times · 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85
KNVB Cup3 times · 1982–83, 1985–86, 1986–87
European Super Cup2 times · 1989, 1990
Supercoppa Italiana2 times · 1988, 1992
European Cup Winners' Cup1 time · 1986–87
Individual
Ballon d'Or3 times · 1988, 1989, 1992
FIFA Best Player1 time · 1992
European Golden Shoe1 time · 1985–86
Capocannoniere2 times · 1989–90, 1991–92
Onze de Onze5 times · 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992
Eredivisie Top Scorer4 times · 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87
UEFA Best Player of the Year3 times · 1989, 1990, 1992
IFFHS World's Best Player2 times · 1988, 1989
Onze d'Argent2 times · 1987, 1992
Onze d'Or2 times · 1988, 1989
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament2 times · 1988, 1992
World Soccer Player of the Year2 times · 1988, 1992
AFS Top-100 Players of All-Time 12th1 time · 2007
Ballon d'Or Dream Team (Bronze)1 time · 2020
Bravo Award1 time · 1987
Dutch Footballer of the Year1 time · 1985
El País King of European Soccer1 time · 1992
European Cup Top Scorer1 time · 1988–89
European Silver Boot1 time · 1983–84
FIFA 100 (List of the greatest living footballers picked by Pelé)1 time · 2004
France Football's Football Player of the Century 8th1 time · 1999
Guerin Sportivo's 50 Greatest Players of the Century by Adalberto Bortolotti 11th1 time · 1999
IFFHS European Player of the Century 10th1 time · 1999
IFFHS Football Player of the Century 12th1 time · 1999
Italian Football Hall of Fame1 time · 2012
Placar's 100 Best Players of the Century 26th1 time · 1999
Planète Foot World All-Time Team1 time · 1996
Planète Foot's 50 of the World's Best Players1 time · 1996
RSSSF Player of the Year1 time · 1992
UEFA Euro 19881 time · Most Valuable Player and Top Scorer with 5 goals
UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll1 time · #4
Venerdì's 100 Magnificent1 time · 1997
World Golden Boot1 time · 1985–86
World Hall of Fame of Soccer1 time · 2012
World Soccer Greatest Players of the 20th Century 9th1 time · 1999

Won outside the recorded seasons

Lifetime awards and honours from seasons this player's career table does not cover.

  • UEFA Euro 1988: Most Valuable Player and Top Scorer with 5 goals
  • Planète Foot World All-Time Team: 1996
  • Planète Foot's 50 of the World's Best Players: 1996
  • Venerdì's 100 Magnificent: 1997
  • IFFHS Football Player of the Century 12th: 1999
  • IFFHS European Player of the Century 10th: 1999
  • Placar's 100 Best Players of the Century 26th: 1999
  • France Football's Football Player of the Century 8th: 1999
  • World Soccer Greatest Players of the 20th Century 9th: 1999
  • Guerin Sportivo's 50 Greatest Players of the Century by Adalberto Bortolotti 11th: 1999
  • FIFA 100 (List of the greatest living footballers picked by Pelé): 2004
  • AFS Top-100 Players of All-Time 12th: 2007
  • UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll: #4
  • Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2012
  • World Hall of Fame of Soccer: 2012
  • Ballon d'Or Dream Team (Bronze): 2020

Career shape

Peak season
1985–86, 39 goals at 1.26 per game
Best five seasons
1982–83 to 1986–87, 153 goals
Goals before 21
75
Goals before 25
208
Goals before 30
306
Goals from 30 on
0
Seasons played
14
Biggest club share
55% at Ajax
Trajectory
Sustained plateau
Honours per season
5.14

Marco van Basten peaked in 1985–86 with 39 goals in 31 games. Output held steady across the whole career. 72 major honours across 14 seasons, 5.14 per season.

Some source rows for this career did not reconcile; derived figures may undercount.

Suggested duels

Common questions

How many goals has Marco van Basten scored?
306 goals in 437 appearances across club and international football.
Which club did Marco van Basten score the most goals for?
154 goals for Ajax, more than for any other club.
How many trophies has Marco van Basten won?
72 major honours, counting team titles and individual awards.
What was Marco van Basten's best season?
43 goals in 1986–87 for Ajax, the highest of the career.
How many international goals does Marco van Basten have?
24 goals in 58 appearances for Netherlands.

Where they rank

Marco van Basten updated Jul 18, 2026 · Wikipedia

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