Jordan Rhodes ends career with incredible statistic that even Wayne Rooney can’t beat

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Jordan Rhodes has retired from football, and an unearthed statistic reveals just how incredible a goalscorer the 35-year-old was.

Rhodes confirmed he was hanging up his boots on Wednesday following the expiration of his contract at Blackpool last season. He will now be beginning his post-playing career by returning to his former club Blackburn Rovers to become their loans manager.

The former Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town striker has terrified countless defenders across the English Football League since his debut at Ipswich Town in 2007.

It turns out he was so prolific that he has beaten England legend Wayne Rooney – who went on to be a manager in the English Football League – in a key stat during his career, and even ran the Three Lions’ current star goalscorer Harry Kane pretty close too.

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Jordan Rhodes scored more English goals than Wayne Rooney and Rickie Lambert

Across his spells at Ipswich, Rochdale, Brentford, Huddersfield Town, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich City, Blackpool and Mansfield Town, Rhodes has scored 220 goals across England’s top four tiers.

That makes him the third highest scorer in those leagues since 2004/05. The ex-Tractor Boys academy product played in the Premier League six times for Boro. Otherwise, his career was spread across the three divisions below.

Rooney netted less than Rhodes with 199 goals. The ex-Blackburn fan striker also edges former Southampton bagsman Rickie Lambert, who managed a tally of 198 in his career.

Rhodes runs England captain Kane pretty close, with the ex-Tottenham striker scoring just seven more goals. He could of course add to this if he ever returns to England. Billy Sharp remains the highest scorer since the 2004/05 season with 259 goals and could yet add to this at Doncaster Rovers.

Who did Jordan Rhodes score the most goals against in his career?

Rhodes haunted many fanbases across the EFL, but one team feared his name appearing on the teamsheet more than any other.

He got the most joy against now-Championship side Charlton Athletic, scoring 12 of his goals against them in 18 meetings.

Wycombe Wanderers were next on his hit list, with him bagging 11 in 12 appearances against them.

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After facing Barnsley 15 times, with many of these occasions being Yorkshire derbies, Rhodes scored his third highest tally against the Tykes, netting eight times and getting three assists.