Top 5 goalscorers in 2019 club and international football

Lionel Messi scored his 50th goal of the year in a Liga game against Alaves

The year 2019 saw Lionel Messi become the first player to score in 15 consecutive seasons in the Champions League, score against 34 different opposition teams in the competition, and score in 16 consecutive Liga seasons.

The diminutive Argentinian also scored his 700th professional goal during the year, and he eventually became one of only two players to score 50 goals in 2019.

However, Messi wouldn't be the top scorer for a second consecutive year. A red-hot player from another league stole Messi's limelight, and shone a tad brighter than the Barcelona and Argentina captain.

Amongst 16 players to have scored over 30 goals for club and country during the year, let us meet the top 5 most prolific goalscorers as 2019 makes way for 2020.

#5 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus / Portugal): 39 goals

Despite a lukewarm year by his staggering standards, a nearly 35-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo produced another good scoring year.

The Portugal captain's record-equaling 8th Champions League hat-trick helped Juventus successfully overturn a 2-0 first leg Round of 16 deficit. But the Bianconeri exited the competition at the quarter-final stage despite Ronaldo scoring in each leg in a 2-3 aggregate defeat.

Ronaldo scored 17 Serie A goals in 26 games during the year, and he fell short of his first hat-trick in the Italian top-flight when the woodwork intervened in the game against Udinese this season.

The Juventus striker joined Raul as the only players to score against 33 different opponents in the Champions League. He narrowly failed to claim the record outright when his goal-bound free-kick against Lokomotiv Moscow was prodded across the line by teammate Aaron Ramsey.

The all-time Champions League top-scorer also dazzled in national colours during the year. Ronaldo scored in six consecutive Euro 2020 qualifying games, which helped defending champions Portugal seal qualification for the quadrennial tournament next summer.

Also check out: Premier League Table Champions League table La liga table 2019-20