Memphis Depay has made history by becoming the all-time top scorer for the Netherlands national team, with his 51st international goal coming in a 3-2 FIFA World Cup qualifier victory over Lithuania on Sunday evening. The goal breaks the previous record of 50 held by Robin van Persie.
The Corinthians striker, who had equaled the record with a brace against Malta in June, had been in eager pursuit of the record-breaking goal. After failing to find the back of the net against Poland earlier in the week, he finally clinched the record by acrobatically converting a Cody Gakpo cross to open the scoring against Lithuania. The match also saw him equal Wesley Sneijder’s all-time assists record.
A Look Back at a Record-Breaking Career
Memphis’ journey to the top of the scoring chart began at the 2014 World Cup, where he scored his first international goal. He debuted for the Netherlands under Louis van Gaal in November 2013 and has since become a key figure for the team. After Van Persie retired from international football in 2017, Memphis took on a more central role in the attack, a move that paid off with a significant increase in his goal tally.
The striker had a remarkable 2021, scoring 17 goals in a single calendar year, the most ever by a Netherlands international. Earlier this year, in March 2025, he also reached a century of caps for the national team, becoming only the tenth Dutch player to do so. His recent achievements solidify his legacy as one of the most prolific and influential players in the history of Dutch football.
