Whose goals have most changed the course of football history? Lionel Messi scored 91 goals in 2012 to beat Gerd Müller's record of 85 in a calendar year set back in 1972. Messi seems to break records every time he plays. Putting five goals past Bayer Leverkusen in last season's Champions League was a remarkable achievement but, for all his heroics, Messi still lags some way behind Müller when it comes to changing games on the grandest stages.

Sportswriter Liam Corbett of the Average Opposition blog has analysed all the goals scored in the world's biggest competitions since 1950 – that's 1,931 goals by 1,071 different scorers in 63 years – and complied a list of football's top 50 big-game goalscorers. This exercise is about the goals that have shaped matches at the very pinnacle of the sport. And Gerd Müller has scored more that anyone.

Weightings The methodology Tournament Points World Cup final 5 European Championship final 4 Copa America final 4 World Cup semi-final 4 World Cup final group stages 3.5 European Cup final 3 European Championship semi-final 3 Copa America semi-final 3 Copa Libertadores final 2.5 Copa America final group stages 2.5 European Championship final group stages 2.5 Copa America final stages 2 Europa League final 2 UEFA Cup final 2 Cup-Winners Cup final 2 Champions League semi-final 2 Copa America semi-final 2 Copa Libertadores semi-final 1.5

Müller scored 68 goals in 62 internationals for Germany and another 398 in his 453 appearances for Bayern Munich. The numbers are staggering, but his consistency is even more impressive. He was no flat-track bully. Müller scored in the finals and semi-finals of the World Cup, European Championship and European Cup. His last goal for Germany was the winner in the 1974 World Cup final, played in his club's stadium in Munich.

He's the clear winner on a list that throws up a few intriguing insights. Bobby Charlton is the highest placed English player, with Geoff Hurst also making the top 50 thanks to three goals scored on the same afternoon. Nine Brazilians make the list, while Argentina has seven representatives.

Diego Forlán, the best performer at the last World Cup and Uruguay's top scorer and cap-holder, is the only man in the top 20 still playing. Messi has plenty of time to rise up the list, but he's currently sitting in 39th, just below Jari Litmanen.

The top 50 big-game goalscorers Rank Player County Career Goals Points 1 Gerd Muller Germany 1963-1981 16 51 2 Alfredo Di Stefano Argentina 1945-1966 19 45 3 Pele Brazil 1956-1977 13 40.5 4 Ferenc Puskas Hungary 1943-1966 15 40 5 Zinedine Zidane France 1988-2006 10 33 6 Ronaldo Brazil 1993-2011 9 32 7 Alberto Spencer Ecuador 1953-1972 13 27.5 8 Vava Brazil 1949-1969 6 27 9 Mario Kempes Argentina 1970-1996 6 24 10 Eusebio Portugal 1957-1979 9 23 11 Marco van Basten Holland 1981-1993 8 21 12 Ademir Brazil 1939-1957 6 21 13 Dieter Muller Germany 1972-1989 7 20.5 14 Paul Breitner Germany 1970-1983 6 19.5 15 Diego Forlan Uruguay 1997-2013 6 19 16 Johan Cruyff Holland 1964-1984 6 18.5 17 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Germany 1974-1989 6 18.5 18 Paolo Rossi Italy 1976-1987 5 18.5 19 Bobby Charlton England 1956-1976 6 18 20 Michel Platini France 1972-1987 6 18 21 Romario Brazil 1985-2009 6 17.5 22 Alessandro Del Piero Italy 1988-2013 7 17 23 Hector Rial Spain 1947-1964 7 17 24 Juan Roman Riquelme Argentina 1995-2013 8 16.5 25 Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal 2002-2013 7 16 26 Juan Alberto Schiaffino Uruguay 1943-1962 6 16 27 Marcelo Delgado Argentina 1990-2010 6 15.5 28 Hernan Crespo Argentina 1993-2013 6 15 29 Rob Rensenbrink Holland 1965-1982 6 15 30 Sandro Mazzola Italy 1960-1977 6 15 31 Sandor Kocsis Hungary 1943-1961 5 15 32 Geoff Hurst England 1959-1979 3 15 33 Kurt Hamrin Sweden 1952-1972 6 14 34 Chico Brazil 1939-1956 4 14 35 Johan Neeskens Holland 1968-1991 4 14 36 Zico Brazil 1971-1994 5 13.5 37 Jonny Rep Holland 1971-1987 4 13.5 38 Jari Litmanen Finland 1987-2011 6 13 39 Lionel Messi Argentina 2005-2013 5 13 40 Andreas Brehme West Germany 1978-1998 3 13 41 Gabriel Batistuta Argentina 1988-2005 4 13 42 Coutinho Brazil 1953-1972 5 12.5 43 Jairzinho Brazil 1959-1982 3 12.5 44 Santillana Spain 1970-1988 6 12 45 José Águas Portugal 1948-1964 5 12 46 Amancio Amaro Spain 1958-1976 5 12 47 Fernando Torres Spain 2001-2013 4 12 48 Horst Hubresch Germany 1971-1986 4 12 49 Ruud Gullit Holland 1979-1998 4 12 50 Karl-Heinz Riedle Germany 1983-2001 4 12

Visit Average Opposition for a full explanation of the methodology and for articles on every player featured