The Chinese Super League CSL is the top professional soccer league in China having some of the best players as well as all-time top scorers in the country.
The CSL grew to become a major destination for foreigners due to its increased financial strength.
In this article, we’ll highlight the Chinese Super League all time leading scorers in history including foreigners that have played in the division.
The CSL all time top scorers takes into account the country’s top-flight high goals scorers from 1994 until date.
In the Super League, Li Jinyu is the top leading scorer with 120 goals in over 250 appearances for the teams he represented in the division.
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During the early years of the league’s establishment, Chinese football players were mostly the main participants and as such, players from the country dominate the list.
Israeli footballer Eran Zahavi is the highest top scorer in the Chinese Super League foreign contingents. So far, he’d played for Guangzhou R&F.
Chinese Super League top scorers all time (highest goals) in history
Best CSL Scorers list
1. Li Jinyu
Goals: 120
Position: Striker
Nationality: China
Li Jinyu is one of the best Chinese footballers of his generation. He is the Chinese Super League-leading top with 120 goals scored in 251 appearances for the club’s representer during his active years.
Li Jinyu played for Liaoning FC and Shandong Luneng as a striker and was seen as one of the best players in the history of the two clubs.
He won his first Golden Boot award in 2002 and became China’s most expensive footballer at the time.
Chinese Super League – He won the Chinese Super League as a player on three different occasions.
His first league title was in 2006 and a two year wait for the second title in 2008.
His last league title was achieved in 2010.
Chinese FA Cup – In 2004 and 2006, Li Jinyu won the Chinese FA Cup, China’s national knockout cup competition.
Chinese Super League Cup – To mark his improve run in the CSL, Li Jinyu added the Chinese Super League Cup trophy in 2004.
He became the CSL top scorer in two consecutive seasons in 2006 and 2007.
2. Elkeson de Oliveira Cardoso (Ai Kesen)
Goals: 102
Position: Forward
Nationality: China
Ai Kesen, commonly referred to as Elkeson is the Chinese Super League second all time top scorer with 102.
The Brazilian who obtained Chinese citizenship through naturalization grew to become one of the best players of modern-day football in China.
Guangzhou Evergrande officially announced the signing of Elkeson on a four-year deal from Brazil Série A side Vitória for a fee of €5.7 million.
He scored his first two goals for the club in an opening match league match against Shanghai Shenxin in 2013.
In his first season, he scored twenty league goals to become the league’s top scorer.
His excellent performance made him one of the most sought after players in the CSL.
Ai Kesen has scored 102 which could increase. He currently plays as a striker for Super League big boys Guangzhou Evergrande.
Elkeson played joined Guangzhou Evergrande in 2013, scoring 53 league goals for the club in three seasons before heading to league rivals Shanghai SIPG.
At Shanghai SIPG, The Brazilian Chinese footballer scored over 37 goals in four seasons.
He made a return to Guangzhou Evergrande in 2019. He’d since formed a core part of the team in the league as well as other domestic and international Competitions.
Chinese Super League – Elkeson has won five league titles so far. Four of these were achievements at Guangzhou Evergrande.
Chinese FA Super Cup – He won the FA Cup with Shanghai SIPG in 2019.
3. Wu Lei
Goals: 102
Position: Forward
Nationality: China
Wu Lei is the CSL third all time top scorer with 102 which led to several European clubs seeking his services.
Wu Lei spent his Chinese Super League career with Shanghai SIPG, scoring 102 league goals that helped the club lift the CLS once in 2018.
His efforts helped the club remain in the top division of Chinese football before his departure.
The young energetic forward scored a hat-trick during a league clash against Shanghai Shenxin in June 2013, becoming the second-youngest player in China to score a hat-trick in the Super League.
He became well known after scoring two more hat-tricks in the same season 3–2 Tianjin Teda and Qingdao Jonoon.
Sticking to his impressive form in the CSL, Wu Lei scored four goals in a 5–2 win against Guangzhou R&F in September 2018.
Wu Lei was the Domestic Golden Boot winner in China in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Chinese Super League – He won the CSL in 2018 with Shanghai SIPG and ended the season as the top scorer with 27 goals.
4. Hao Haidong
Goals: 96
Position: Striker
Nationality: China
Hao Haidong is the CSL fourth all time top scorer with 96 goals. He played as a striker as was one of the best players in China during his time in the division.
He won the Chinese Super League six times as a player and was presented with the Chinese Football Association Player of the Year award.
He become known in the domestic scene after his move to Dalian Shide.
He won five league titles with the club during the old Chinese Jia-A League currently replaced by the Super League.
Hao Haidong emerged Top goalscorer in the league in 1997, 1998, and 2001.
He is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of his time.
5. Gao Lin
Goals: 93 – present
Position: Striker / Winger
Nationality: China
Gao Lin is the fifth Chinese Super League all time top scorer with 93 goals. He currently plays active football in the Super League with Shenzhen F.C.
Started his professional career with Shanghai Shenhua, he struggled in the first few games, managing fourteen goals in seventy-three appearances.
Moving to Guangzhou Evergrande in 2010, Gao Lin quickly established himself at the club by scoring two goals for the club.
With the arrival of top players at the club already called concerns about his future at the club, he continued to win the first-team shirt and helped the team to lift the CSL.
At Guangzhou Evergrande, Gao Lin won eight Chinese Super League titles.
Hise improve performance contributed to the clubs two titles in the AFC Champions League.
6. Han Peng
Goals: 91
Position: Striker
Nationality: China
Han Peng is the sixth all time Chinese Super League leading scorer with 91 goals in 246 appearances.
He began his professional career with Shandong Luneng in 2012 scoring 93 goals for the club in his three-year stay.
He quickly established himself as a prolific natural striker in the division scoring goals for his team.
Chinese Super League – Han won three CSL titles with Shandong Luneng.
He moved to Beijing Renhe in 2016, scoring four times in 35 appearances for the club.
Most of his successful campaign in the Chinese Super League was with Shandong Luneng.
7. Eran Zahavi
Goals: 85
Position: Striker
Nationality: Israel
Eran Zahavi is one of the top foreigners ever to play in the CSL.
He is currently the seventh all time top scorer in the Chinese Super League and the leading all time top scorer in terms of foreigner contingents in the league.
The Israeli striker had won numerous trophies outside China including the Israeli Premier League, Israel State Cup, and Johan Cruyff Shield, etc.
In China, he spent four seasons with Guangzhou R&F and emerged as a Chinese Super League Top Scorer in 2017 and 2019.
All his achievements at Guangzhou R&F were individual awards including Top Scorer, Most Valuable Player and Team of the Season.
He is currently the leading Chinese Super League foreign top scorer with 85 goals.
8. Wang Tao
Goals: 83
Position: Striker
Nationality: China
Wang Tao is eight leafing CSL top scorer with 83 goals in 180 appearances for Dalian Wanda FC and Beijing Guoan.
Wang Tao spent five seasons at Dalian Wanda FC, scoring fifty-seven goals in 127 appearances for the club.
He spent one year on loan at Beijing Guoan where he scored an important 23 goals in 40 appearances.
A year later, he moved to Beijing Guoan permanently scoring twice in 14 appearances.
He won the Chinese Jia-A League four times with Dalian Wanda FC.
9. Qu Bo
Goals: 78
Position: Striker / Winger
National: China
Qu Bo is the ninth CSL top scorer with 78 goals.
10. Yu Genwei
Goals: 78
Position: Forward
Nationality: China
Yu Genwei is the tenth all time leading scorer with 78 goals in 197 appearances.
His CSL career was spent at Tianjin Teda. He is one of the club’s greatest players in history, scoring goals that helped the club stay afloat in the top tier.
Chinese Super League CSL foreign top scorers in the history
1. Elkeson 102
2. Eran Zahavi 85
3. Ricardo Goulart 71
4. James Chamanga 70
5. Tiago Jorge Honorio 66
6. Luis Alfredo Ramírez 63
7. Giovanni Moreno 59
8. Aloísio 53
9. Casiano Wilberto Delvalle Ruiz 51
10. Zoran Janković 50.
Conclusion
Article highlight the Chinese Super League CSL all time top scorers including foreigners.
