UEFA European Championship top 10 goal scorers

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Our list of ten of the greatest football strikers who ever played in UEFA Euro since the tournament was founded

The UEFA European Championship is the second most popular soccer tournament in the world after the World Cup, and it used to feature the senior men's teams of 16 European countries that qualified to play in the tournament. Next year, at Euro 2016, the field will expand to 24 teams, which should make the tournament even more interesting.

The UEFA European Championship has had some of the greatest goal scorers in football participate in the tournament since it began in 1960, and to celebrate these men, we are giving you a list of the top 10 goal scorers in tournament history.

Wayne Rooney played at UEFA Euro 2004 and scored four goals during the tournament10.) Wayne Rooney

Goals: 5 goals in 6 matches
Country: England
Years active: 2002-present

Wayne Rooney has had one of the most successful careers at Manchester United, and on the English National team. His performance at the UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal is still considered one of the best debuts in tournament history. Rooney became the youngest player to ever score at the competition, scoring two goals against Switzerland on June 17, and ended up with four goals in the four games that he played in during the tournament. Earning him a spot in the UEFA Team of the Tournament. He would add one more goal to his total in 2012.

Savo Milosevic appeared in only one European Championship at which he earned the Golden Boot at Euro 20009.) Savo Milosevic

Goals: 5 goals in 4 matches
Country: Serbia
Years active: 1992-2008

Milosevic had a very good career that spanned 16 years, and played a majority of his career in Spain and England. He also made 102 appearances for the Serbian national team, but none of them were as memorable as the four games that he played in Euro 2000. Milosevic was able to lead the team to the quarterfinals, which was their best performance in an international tournament, by scoring five goals in four games, which tied him with Dutch international Patrick Kluivert, who had five goals in five games. Milosevic would also go on to win the Golden Boot at the tournament.

Nuno Gomes represented Portugal in three European Championships8.) Nuno Gomes

Goals: 6 goals in 14 matches
Country: Portugal
Years active: 1994-2013

Nuno Miguel Soares Pereira Ribeiro famously known as Nuno Gomes always had a knack for scoring goals, both for his club and his country, but he made his international goal scoring debut in spectacular fashion. In his fourth international start, which came at the UEFA Euro 200 tournament in Netherlands, he scored his first international goal, and added two more in their second game in the tournament. He finished the tournament with four goals in three games, then added a goal apiece in his next two tournament appearances in 2004 and 2008.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the first Portuguese footballer to win three FIFA/Ballons d'Or7.) Cristiano Ronaldo

Goals: 6 goals in 14 matches
Country: Portugal
Years active: 2002-present

Ronaldo is one of the most famous players right now, and has had a lot of success in his career. Unlike some of the other players on this list, who had a big year in the tournament, Ronaldo's highest goal tally came in 2008, when he scored three goals, which put him in a six player tie foe most goals scored in the tournament. In 2004, he scored two goals, and added one more in 2012, bringing his total amount of goals to six in 14 games played.

Thierry Henry spent eight years at Arsenal where he is the club's all time record goalscorer6.) Thierry Henry

Goals: 6 goals in 11 matches
Country: France
Years active: 1994-2014

Henry is widely considered to be one of the greatest strikers in history, and finished his career as the leading goal scorer in Arsenal history. He also helped the French national team win the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In his first appearance at the UEFA European tournament in 2000, he scored three goals in the tournament, and helped France win the tournament. In his second appearance, he scored two goals for the national team, but they lost in the quarterfinals, and in his final appearance, he scored France's only goal at the 2008 tournament.

Zlatan Ibrahomivic is highly considered as one of the best finishers in the game of his generation5.) Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Goals: 6 goals in 10 matches
Country: Sweden
Years active: 1999-present

Ibrahimovic is one of the top strikers in the world, and he has a knack for scoring spectacular goals. He has made three appearances for Sweden at the UEFA European Championships, and has scored two goals in each of his three campaigns. He is one of the three active players that still have a chance to add more goals to their career totals at the tournament, but he will need to help his team get through the qualifying stage.

Patrick Kluivert was the joint top scorer at Euro 2000 where he scored 5 times4.) Patrick Kluivert

Goals: 6 goals in 9 matches
Country: Netherlands
Years active: 1994-2008

Kluivert was one of the best football strikers of his generation, but didn't have the longevity he had hoped for, due to a rash of injuries. He made two appearances in the UEFA European Championships, in his debut, the 19 year old striker missed the first two games of the group stage, but managed to score one goal in the final group game, which allowed the Dutch to advance to the knockout stage. He established himself as one of the best strikers in the world at Euro 2000, scoring five goals in five games, leading his team to the semifinals.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy became a top scorer in three different European domestic leagues3.) Ruud van Nistelrooy

Goals: 6 goals in 8 matches
Country: Netherland
Years active: 1993-2012

Van Nistelrooy was another talented goal scorer from the Netherlands, he ended up having a better career than Kluivert did, but he also suffered with injuries throughout his career. He had a great debut at Euro 2004, scoring a goal in each of his first three games, and finishing the tournament with four. In 2008, he added two more goals to his total, finishing with six goals in the tournament.

Alan Shearer is one of the world's best strikers and was named Football Writers' Association Player of the Year in 19942.) Alan Shearer

Goals: 7 goals in 9 matches
Country: England
Years active: 1988-2006

It is almost impossible to find a better striker than Shearer at his peak, he made his UEFA European Championship debut in 1992, but was seldom used and failed to score at the tournament. By 1996, he was one of the biggest names in the sport, and scored five goals in five games, winning the Golden Boot award. In Euro 2000, England failed to make it out of the group stage, but Shearer added two more goals to his tally, giving him seven goals in nine appearances.

Michel Platini won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1983, 1984 and 19851.) Michel Platini

Goals: 9 goals in 5 matches
Country: France
Years active: 1972-1987

Platini is one of the greatest midfielders ever, and the one man that stands over others in terms of the top goal scorer in UEFA European Championship history. Platini participated in Euro 1984, which was his only appearance at the tournament, and not only led his country to victory, he did it in impressive fashion. Platini scored in every game he played for France, and had two hat tricks in the tournament, giving him nine goals in five games. No other player in the history of the tournament has even come close to matching his performance in 1984, and it will be very hard to top what he did.