Top 10 players with the most offsides in football history: Ronaldo included, Messi not on the list

Offside is one of the most important and controversial rules in football, designed to prevent attackers from unfairly using speed and long passes to gain an advantage. With increasingly precise technology, offside decisions have become more frequent. In this article, NowGoal Mobi lists the 10 players with the most offsides in football history, as well as the most offside players in the current season.

Top 10 players with the most offsides in football (since 2015/16)

Leading this surprising list is Jamie Vardy, the well-known English striker. Vardy spent many years playing for Leicester City in the Premier League before moving to Cremonese in Italy. Known for his speed and direct style of play, he was Leicester’s main attacking threat for many seasons and played a key role in their historic Premier League title in 2016. Vardy often looks to exploit counter-attacks by running behind the defense, which has frequently resulted in him being caught offside.

Second on the list is Timo Werner, a player widely associated with offside calls, particularly during his time at Chelsea. Since the 2015/16 season, Werner has been caught offside 307 times in 317 matches, almost once per game. Despite this, he remains valued by coaches for his off-the-ball movement and ability to create space for teammates.

In third place is Luis Suárez, who has been away from European football for more than two years but still ranks among the top three with 304 offsides in 258 matches. Unlike Vardy, Suárez excels at making clever runs behind the defense and positioning himself in difficult areas, constantly pressuring opposing backlines.

Cristiano Ronaldo ranks fourth, despite having played outside Europe for the past two years. Throughout his time at Real Madrid, Juventus, and Manchester United, Ronaldo was known for his explosive acceleration and tendency to position himself high up the pitch in search of goal-scoring opportunities, which often led to offside situations.

Interestingly, Ronaldo’s long-time rival Lionel Messi does not appear on this list, nor even in the top 25. The reason is relatively clear: Messi frequently drops deep to receive the ball and link play, especially during his later years at Barcelona. At Paris Saint-Germain, he often operated from wider areas and made intelligent movements to avoid the offside trap while still posing a threat to defenses.

Top 10 players with the most offsides in football history (since 2015/16)

1. Jamie Vardy, 361 matches, 316 offsides

2. Timo Werner, 317 matches, 307 offsides

3. Luis Suárez, 258 matches, 304 offsides

4. Cristiano Ronaldo, 265 matches, 297 offsides

5. Robert Lewandowski, 373 matches, 274 offsides

6. Kylian Mbappé, 301 matches, 272 offsides

7. Álvaro Morata, 350 matches, 267 offsides

8. Wissam Ben Yedder, 326 matches, 266 offsides

9. Fabio Quagliarella, 292 matches, 257 offsides

10. Ciro Immobile, 322 matches, 256 offsides

Top 10 players with the most offsides in the top five leagues (2025/26 season)

Looking at the 2025/26 season, the list of most offside players shows notable changes. Leading the chart is Sevilla forward Akor Adams, who has been caught offside 25 times in 16 matches. Close behind is Fiorentina striker Moise Kean with 23 offsides. Hamburg’s Ransford Königsdörffer follows with 22, while Brentford forward Evanilson is the most offside player in the Premier League this season.

One high-profile name on the list is Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé. The French forward has been caught offside 18 times in 21 matches this season but still boasts an impressive scoring record, with 35 goals across all competitions. Mbappé’s game relies heavily on pace and counter-attacks, which can lead to offside calls when he starts his runs too early, especially with increasingly accurate offside technology.

Another notable name is Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, who has been caught offside 17 times, the same number as Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Raúl Jiménez. Despite this, Kane continues to demonstrate outstanding goal-scoring ability and is directly competing with Mbappé for the Golden Boot, while also helping Bayern challenge for both the Bundesliga and Champions League titles.

Top 10 players with the most offsides in the top five leagues (2025/26 season)

1. Akor Adams, 16 matches, 25 offsides

2. Moise Kean, 20 matches, 23 offsides

3. Ransford Königsdörffer, 19 matches, 22 offsides

4. Evanilson, 22 matches, 21 offsides

5. Deniz Undav, 16 matches, 20 offsides

6. Kylian Mbappé, 21 matches, 18 offsides

7. Igor Thiago, 24 matches, 18 offsides

8. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 22 matches, 17 offsides

9. Harry Kane, 20 matches, 17 offsides

10. Raúl Jiménez, 23 matches, 17 offsides

These statistics from nowgoalmobi.net highlight the players with the most offsides in football history, as well as those leading the charts in the current top five European leagues. For more football results and analysis, visit here.