StrikerDuel
Ruud van Nistelrooy

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Forward · 1993 to 2011

Goals
384
Appearances
662
Goals per game
0.58
Major honours
42

Scored 150 of 384 career goals for Manchester United, at 0.68 per game.

Goals by age

Career total by age

Add a rival
Career total by age
AgeGoals
170
186
198
2020
2136
2277
23110
24114
25157
26202
27237
28259
29288
30324
31346
32359
33367
34378
35384

Career timeline

  1. Age 17 · 1993–94Den Bosch
    Goals0 · Apps2 · Per game0.00
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps2 · Goals0
  2. Age 18 · 1994–95Den Bosch
    Goals6 · Apps17 · Per game0.35
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps15 · Goals3
    Domestic cupApps2 · Goals3
  3. Age 19 · 1995–96Den Bosch
    Goals2 · Apps21 · Per game0.10
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps21 · Goals2
  4. Age 20 · 1996–97Den Bosch
    Goals12 · Apps31 · Per game0.39
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps31 · Goals12
  5. From Den Bosch to Heerenveen
  6. Age 21 · 1997–98Heerenveen
    Goals16 · Apps40 · Per game0.40
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps31 · Goals13
    Domestic cupApps5 · Goals3
    ContinentalApps4 · Goals0
  7. From Heerenveen to PSV
  8. Age 22 · 1998–99PSV
    Goals41 · Apps46 · Per game0.89

    1 caps · 0 goals

    Johan Cruyff Shield 1998Dutch Footballer of the Year 1998–99Eredivisie Top Goalscorer 1998–99
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps34 · Goals31
    Domestic cupApps4 · Goals4
    ContinentalApps7 · Goals6
    OtherApps1 · Goals0
  9. Age 23 · 1999–2000PSV
    Goals32 · Apps32 · Per game1.00

    8 caps · 1 goals

    Eredivisie 1999–2000Dutch Footballer of the Year 1999–2000Eredivisie Top Goalscorer 1999–2000
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps23 · Goals29
    Domestic cupApps1 · Goals0
    ContinentalApps8 · Goals3
  10. Age 24 · 2000–01PSV
    Goals4 · Apps12 · Per game0.33

    1 caps · 0 goals

    Eredivisie 2000–01
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps10 · Goals2
    Domestic cupApps2 · Goals2
  11. From PSV to Manchester United
  12. Age 25 · 2001–02Manchester United
    Goals36 · Apps49 · Per game0.73

    7 caps · 7 goals

    Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year 2001–02ESM Team of the Year 2001–02UEFA Champions League Top Goalscorer 2001–02UEFA Champions League Top Assist Provider 2001–02PFA Fans' Player of the Year 2001–02PFA Players' Player of the Year 2001–02PFA Team of the Year 2001–02 Premier League
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps32 · Goals23
    Domestic cupApps2 · Goals2
    ContinentalApps14 · Goals10
    OtherApps1 · Goals1
  13. Age 26 · 2002–03Manchester United
    Goals44 · Apps52 · Per game0.85

    4 caps · 1 goals

    Premier League 2002–03Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year 2002–03UEFA Champions League Top Goalscorer 2002–03FA Cup Top Goalscorer 2002–03IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer of the Year 2002Premier League Player of the Season 2002–03Premier League Golden Boot 2002–03UEFA Club Forward of the Year 2002–03
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps34 · Goals25
    Domestic cupApps3 · Goals4
    League cupApps4 · Goals1
    ContinentalApps11 · Goals14
  14. Age 27 · 2003–04Manchester United
    Goals30 · Apps44 · Per game0.68

    8 caps · 5 goals

    FA Cup 2003–04FA Community Shield 2003FA Cup Top Goalscorer 2003–04PFA Team of the Year 2003–04 Premier LeagueUEFA Team of the Year 2003
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps32 · Goals20
    Domestic cupApps4 · Goals6
    ContinentalApps7 · Goals4
    OtherApps1 · Goals0
  15. Age 28 · 2004–05Manchester United
    Goals16 · Apps27 · Per game0.59

    11 caps · 6 goals

    UEFA Champions League Top Goalscorer 2004–05UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament 2004
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps17 · Goals6
    Domestic cupApps3 · Goals2
    ContinentalApps7 · Goals8
  16. Age 29 · 2005–06Manchester United
    Goals24 · Apps47 · Per game0.51

    9 caps · 5 goals

    League Cup 2005–06
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps35 · Goals21
    Domestic cupApps2 · Goals0
    League cupApps2 · Goals1
    ContinentalApps8 · Goals2
  17. From Manchester United to Real Madrid
  18. Age 30 · 2006–07Real Madrid
    Goals33 · Apps47 · Per game0.70

    5 caps · 3 goals

    La Liga 2006–07Pichichi Trophy 2006–07
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps37 · Goals25
    Domestic cupApps3 · Goals2
    ContinentalApps7 · Goals6
  19. Age 31 · 2007–08Real Madrid
    Goals20 · Apps33 · Per game0.61

    5 caps · 2 goals

    La Liga 2007–08
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps24 · Goals16
    Domestic cupApps1 · Goals0
    ContinentalApps7 · Goals4
    OtherApps1 · Goals0
  20. Age 32 · 2008–09Real Madrid
    Goals10 · Apps12 · Per game0.83

    5 caps · 3 goals

    Supercopa de España 2008
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps6 · Goals4
    ContinentalApps4 · Goals3
    OtherApps2 · Goals3
  21. Age 33 · 2009–10Real Madrid
    Goals1 · Apps4 · Per game0.25

    0 caps · 0 goals

    ESPN World Team of the Decade 2009
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps1 · Goals1
    Domestic cupApps2 · Goals0
    ContinentalApps1 · Goals0
  22. From Real Madrid to Hamburger SV
  23. Age 33 · 2009–10Hamburger SV
    Goals7 · Apps18 · Per game0.39
    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps11 · Goals5
    ContinentalApps7 · Goals2
  24. Age 34 · 2010–11Hamburger SV
    Goals10 · Apps26 · Per game0.38

    3 caps · 1 goals

    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps25 · Goals7
    Domestic cupApps1 · Goals3
  25. From Hamburger SV to Málaga
  26. Age 35 · 2011–12Málaga
    Goals5 · Apps32 · Per game0.16

    3 caps · 1 goals

    Competition breakdown
    LeagueApps28 · Goals4
    Domestic cupApps4 · Goals1

Career totals

By club
ClubYearsAppsGoalsPer gameShare
Den Bosch1993–199671200.286%
Heerenveen199740160.405%
PSV1998–200090770.8622%
Manchester United2001–20052191500.6843%
Real Madrid2006–200996640.6718%
Hamburger SV2009–201044170.395%
Málaga20113250.161%
By competition
AppsGoals
League449249
Domestic cup3932
League cup62
Continental9262
Other64
International7035
By country
AppsGoals
England219150
Netherlands201113
Spain12869
Germany4417

Honours

Team trophies
Eredivisie2 times · 1999–2000, 2000–01
La Liga2 times · 2006–07, 2007–08
Premier League1 time · 2002–03
FA Cup1 time · 2003–04
League Cup1 time · 2005–06
Johan Cruyff Shield2 times · 1998, 2022
FA Community Shield1 time · 2003
KNVB Cup1 time · 2022–23
Supercopa de España1 time · 2008
Individual
Pichichi Trophy1 time · 2006–07
Premier League Golden Boot1 time · 2002–03
Premier League Player of the Month3 times · December 2001, February 2002, April 2003
UEFA Champions League Top Goalscorer3 times · 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05
Dutch Footballer of the Year2 times · 1998–99, 1999–2000
Eredivisie Top Goalscorer2 times · 1998–99, 1999–2000
FA Cup Top Goalscorer2 times · 2002–03, 2003–04
PFA Team of the Year2 times · 2001–02 Premier League, 2003–04 Premier League
Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year2 times · 2001–02, 2002–03
BBC Goal of the Month1 time · March 2003
ESM Team of the Year1 time · 2001–02
ESPN World Team of the Decade1 time · 2009
IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer of the Last Decade1 time · 2012
IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer of the Year1 time · 2002
PFA Fans' Player of the Year1 time · 2001–02
PFA Players' Player of the Year1 time · 2001–02
Premier League Player of the Season1 time · 2002–03
UEFA Champions League Top Assist Provider1 time · 2001–02
UEFA Club Forward of the Year1 time · 2002–03
UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament1 time · 2004
UEFA Team of the Year1 time · 2003

Won outside the recorded seasons

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

  • Johan Cruyff Shield: 2022
  • KNVB Cup: 2022–23
  • Premier League Player of the Month: December 2001, February 2002, April 2003
  • BBC Goal of the Month: March 2003
  • IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer of the Last Decade: 2012

Career shape

Peak season
1999–2000, 32 goals at 1.00 per game
Best five seasons
1998–99 to 2002–03, 157 goals
Goals before 21
20
Goals before 25
114
Goals before 30
288
Goals from 30 on
96
Seasons played
19
Biggest club share
43% at Manchester United
Trajectory
Sustained plateau
Honours per season
2.21

Ruud van Nistelrooy peaked in 1999–2000 with 32 goals in 32 games. Output held steady across the whole career. 42 major honours across 19 seasons, 2.21 per season.

Suggested duels

Common questions

How many goals has Ruud van Nistelrooy scored?
384 goals in 662 appearances across club and international football.
Which club did Ruud van Nistelrooy score the most goals for?
150 goals for Manchester United, more than for any other club.
How many trophies has Ruud van Nistelrooy won?
42 major honours, counting team titles and individual awards.
What was Ruud van Nistelrooy's best season?
44 goals in 2002–03 for Manchester United, the highest of the career.
How many international goals does Ruud van Nistelrooy have?
35 goals in 70 appearances for Netherlands.

Where they rank

Ruud van Nistelrooy updated Jul 18, 2026 · Wikipedia

Every player