With exceptional skill and longevity, these Italian-born players have been key figures in their clubs, frequently leading the Serie-A in goals. Their remarkable scoring ability, combined with their passion for the game, has solidified their place as some of the most prolific and respected forwards in Serie A history.
Antonio Di Natale
Born: October 13, 1977, in Naples, Italy.
A clinical finisher with excellent technique and vision, Di Natale scored 191 goals in 385 Serie A appearances for Udinese. He is also the club’s all-time leading scorer. He won the capocannoniere (the award for most goals in a Serie A season) twice, in 2010 and 2011.
Di Natale earned 42 caps for Italy, scoring 11 goals, and represented the national team in Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012.
Alessandro Del Piero
Born: on November 9, 1974 in Conegliano, Italy.
One of the most iconic and technically gifted Italian soccer players of all time. Known for his elegance on the ball, vision, and deadly free-kick accuracy, Del Piero built an extraordinary legacy.
A true one-club legend, he played 19 seasons (1993–2012) for Juventus and became their all-time leading scorer. He netted 290 goals in 705 official appearances and helped Juve win six Serie A titles, one UEFA Champions League title (1995–96), an Intercontinental Cup, and a Coppa Italia.
Alberto Gilardino
Born: July 5, 1982.
A striker known for his goal-scoring instinct and positional awareness. Over his Serie A career, he played for clubs like Parma, AC Milan, Fiorentina, and Genoa. He scored a total of 220 goals in 610 Serie A appearances, placing him among the league’s top scorers of the 21st century. He won the UEFA Champions League (2006–07) and FIFA Club World Cup with AC Milan.
Internationally, Gilardino earned 57 caps for Italy, netting 19 goals, and was part of the 2006 FIFA World Cup-winning squad. After retiring, he transitioned into coaching and currently manages Genoa in Serie A.
Dario Hübner
Born: April 28, 1967, in Muggia, Italy.
A forward renowned for his exceptional goal-scoring record, but often criticized for his work rate.. Over his career, he scored 337 goals in 646 appearances with Cesena, Brescia, and Piacenza. Hübner won the capocannoniere in the 2001-02 season with 24 goals when he was 35 years old, making him the oldest player to achieve the honor (this would be broken by Luca Toni years later)
Ciro Immobile
Born: February 20, 1990, in Torre Annunziata, Italy.
Beloved for his intelligent movement, relentless work rate, and clinical finishing, Immobile has been a cornerstone of Lazio’s attack since joining the club in 2016. With over 160 goals, he is Lazio’s all-time leading scorer.
Immobile won the prestigious European Golden Shoe in the 2019–20 season after netting 36 league goals (also equaled the Serie A single-season scoring record). He has also claimed the capocannoniere four times. On the international stage, Immobile has earned more than 50 caps for Italy. He played a crucial role in their UEFA Euro 2020 triumph. Still an active player, he joined Turkish club Beşiktaş in 2024.
Fabio Quagliarella
Born: January 31, 1983 in Castellammare di Stabia, Italy.
Renowned for his powerful long-range goals and technical finesse. Over a distinguished career, he played for Serie A clubs such as Torino, Udinese, Napoli, Juventus, and Sampdoria. He scored 182 goals in over 550 appearances.
Quagliarella won the capocannoniere in the 2018–19 season with 26 goals for Sampdoria at age 36. Internationally, he earned 28 caps for Italy, scoring 8 goals, and featured in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Luca Toni
Luca Toni, born May 26, 1977, is a retired Italian striker known for his towering presence, aerial strength, and clinical finishing. Over his prolific career, Toni scored over 150 goals in Serie A. Toni played for clubs like Palermo, Fiorentina, Roma, Juventus, and Hellas Verona.
He won the capocannoniere twice — in 2005–06 with Fiorentina and 2014–15 with Verona, where he also became the oldest player to win the award, at 38 years old. Internationally, Toni earned 47 caps for Italy, scoring 16 goals. He was a key figure in Italy’s 2006 FIFA World Cup triumph.
Francesco Totti
Born: September 27, 1976 in Rome, Italy.
A one-club legend who spent his entire professional career with AS Roma.
Making his Serie A debut in 1993, Totti played 619 league matches. He scored 250 goals, making him the second-highest goal scorer in Serie A history. Known as “Il Capitano” (he was the youngest captain in Serie A history), he led them to a Serie A title in 2000–01, two Coppa Italia wins, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. He retired in 2017 after 25 seasons.
Christiano Lucarelli
Born: October 4, 1975, in Livorno, Italy.
Renowned for his powerful striking ability, sharp finishing, and unwavering loyalty to his hometown club, Livorno. He remains Livorno’s all-time leading goal scorer and a legendary figure in the club’s history. Over the course of his career, Lucarelli played in both Serie A and Serie B. Lucarelli scored 121 goals in Serie A and won the capocannoniere in 2004-05 with 24 goals for Livorno.
Christian Vieri
Born: July 12, 1973, in Bologna, Italy.
Widely recognized as one of the most powerful Italian strikers and known for his physical dominance, aerial ability, and lethal finishing. Vieri enjoyed an illustrious career across 12 different clubs, 6 in Serie A, but the bulk of his time was with Inter Milan. He scored 177 goals in Serie A in 354 appearances.
