Top Goal Scorers For Chile Football Team All-Time: Chile really loves soccer, but for a long time, their national team wasn’t very good. They never won a big tournament, unlike their successful neighbors Argentina and Uruguay. Chile shared this unfortunate record with Venezuela and Ecuador, two teams not known for their football skills.
Even though Chile had talented players, they couldn’t win a major championship for a long time. But recently, a special group of players changed that. People call them the “Golden Generation.” They achieved what older famous players like Zamorano, Figueroa, and Salas couldn’t: winning an important tournament for Chile.
So, we’re going to look at the top goal-scorers in the history of the Chilean national soccer team to celebrate their success.
1. Alexis Sánchez
- Career Span: 2006–present
- Matches: 156
- Goals: 51
- Average: 0.33
Alexis Sánchez is the top scorer for the Chilean national soccer team. He became famous when he was very young and went to play in Europe. First, he played for Udinese in Italy and later joined FC Barcelona when he was only 22 years old. After that, he had a successful time at Arsenal FC, where he became one of the best players in the Premier League.
Then, he moved to Manchester United, where he had a lot of fans. Now, he plays for Inter Milan, showing he can shine in the best clubs worldwide.
For Chile, he scored 45 goals in 136 games, making him the player with the most appearances in Chilean team history. He was also part of the Chilean team that won the Copa America in 2015 and 2016.
2. Eduardo Vargas
- Career Span: 2009–2022
- Matches: 106
- Goals: 40
- Average: 0.38
Another player from Chile’s golden generation who’s still playing is Eduardo Vargas. He’s a talented forward who played a crucial role in Chile’s victory in the 2015 Copa América and helped the team perform well in the 2014 World Cup.
In the 2016 Copa América, he was the top scorer for his team, showing his scoring skills. What’s impressive is that Eduardo Vargas is the second-highest goal-scorer in the history of the Chilean national team, with 38 goals in 93 games.
3. Marcelo Salas
- Career Span: 1994–2007
- Matches: 70
- Goals: 37
- Average: 0.53
The third top goal scorer for the Chilean national soccer team is the legendary forward, Marcelo Salas. He was a big name in Chile at his time, playing for famous clubs like Juventus, River, and Lazio.
While he didn’t win many titles for the national team, he’s remembered for his skills. Salas scored 37 goals in 70 games for Chile, making him the third-highest goal scorer in the country’s history. He’s considered one of Chile’s best forwards ever and is particularly adored by fans of the U. of Chile.
4. Iván Zamorano
- Career Span: 1987–2001
- Matches: 69
- Goals: 34
- Average: 0.49
Iván Zamorano is a name that brings back fond memories for many Inter Milan fans. He was a talented forward and is often regarded as one of Chile’s greatest players, especially because of his success in European clubs like Real Madrid, Sevilla, and Inter. He’s a living legend in South American football.
For the national team, he was part of a feared attacking duo with Marcelo Salas, and they scored plenty of goals together. Zamorano is the fourth-highest scorer in Chilean national team history, with 34 goals in 69 games. He was also part of the team that won the 2000 Olympic Games.
5. Arturo Vidal
- Career Span: 2007–present
- Matches: 142
- Goals: 34
- Average: 0.24
In fifth place, we have the remarkable Chilean player known as Arturo Vidal. He’s made a big impact in European club soccer, holding the record for the most titles won by a Chilean player, with a remarkable 8 consecutive European league championships. This impressive feat came during his successful stints at Juventus, FC Bayern München, and FC Barcelona.
At one point, Arturo Vidal was considered one of the world’s top midfielders, and he was highly valued in all the clubs he played for. On the national team level, he’s the fifth-highest goal scorer in Chilean history, with 32 goals, and he ranks fourth in appearances, having played 119 games. He was also part of the Chilean national team that won the Copa America twice, in 2015 and 2016, during the golden generation.
