When football fans talk about highest scoring games in Serie A history, their eyes light up at the thought of goal fests, chaotic defences, and sheer unpredictability. Italy’s top flight is often associated with tactical discipline and defensive grit—but every so often, it explodes into goal-glory. Today, DaoKick invites you on a journey through the wildest, most goal-laden encounters ever recorded in Serie A.
Below, we’ll explore the record-breaking matches, legendary players who starred, statistical oddities, and context behind how and why those games happened. Whether you’re a stats lover, nostalgist, or matchday junkie, this list will thrill.
What counts as “highest scoring”?
Before diving in, it’s worth clarifying: by “highest scoring,” we mean matches with the most combined goals (home + away) in a single Serie A game. This includes regular-season fixtures (not playoffs or cups) from the start of the modern era (the 1929–30 unified Serie A) onward.
According to official football-stat aggregators, the top matches reach 10 goals or more.
Let’s break down the biggest names on that list.
The record: 10-goal thrillers
Lazio 7-3 Sampdoria (2016–17)
The joint record for goals in one Serie A match is 10, a feat shared by only a few, but the most celebrated is Lazio 7-3 Sampdoria on 7 May 2017. 017.
- Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
- Scorers: Ciro Immobile scored a hat trick; Lazio’s attacking display was relentless
- Why it matters: In what was a chaotic, back-and-forth affair, Lazio essentially blew open the gate and never looked back. It remains a modern-era reference point for goal-laden madness in Italy.
This match sits at the very top of the highest scoring games in Serie A history list for the modern era.
Other 10-goal folklore: Atalanta 5-5 Salernitana
Statbunker data reveals another 10-goal clash: Atalanta 5-5 Salernitana on 15 January 2023.)
While lacking the same prestige as the Lazio–Sampdoria game, it underscores that even in recent years, defenses can be torn apart in Serie A.
9-goal games: close behind
It’s not just 10-goal matches that thrill. Below are several memorable 9-goal contests that rank high among the highest scoring games in Serie A history:
- Atalanta 9-? — One of the highest-ever goal fests occurred in the 1972–73 season: AC Milan 9-3 Atalanta is listed in league archives.
- Internazionale 6-3 AC Milan (1990/91) also features on the nine-goal list.
- Other 9-goal games include AC Milan 9-2 Novara (1950)
These matches showcase that across decades, Serie A has had its share of goal extravaganzas.
How often do they happen?
Looking at Statbll-time list of “most goals in a match”:
- Only two matches have reached 10 goals.
- A handful more have hit 9 goals.
- Matches with 8 total goals are more frequent and sprinkled throughout modern seasons.
So, 10-goal matches are exceedingly rare—making each one a part of legend.
Player feats in those games
These goalfests often allow individual performances to shine.
Most goals by a single player
The record for most goals in a single Serie A match is 6, held jointly by Enrique Omar Sívori and Silvio Piola.
- Sívori netted 6 in Juventus vs Inter in 1961.
- Piola also hit 6 in a fixture in 1933 between Pro Vercelli and Fiorentina.
Hat-tricks are common in high-scoring games, but hitting 4, 5, or even 6 is extraordinary.
Context: Why do these matches happen?
High-scoring games in a league known for defensive tactics demand a perfect storm:
- Tactical mismatch: One side presses aggressively while the other lacks structure.
- Early chaos: Conceding early can lead to wide-open football.
- Decline in defensive discipline: Red cards, injuries, or tactical collapse.
- Off day for goalkeepers: A kee.
- Motivation or desperation: In relegation battleslate-season game, teams push without restraint.
Lazio vs Sampdoria 7–3 had all those elements: open play, occasional defensive lapses, and an attacking mindset that forced goals.
Top 7 highest scoring matches in Serie A history
Below is a curated list of the top goal-fests:
| Match | Goals | Season / Year | Highlights |
| Lazio 7–3 Sampdoria | 10 | 2016–17 | Modern benchmark |
| Atalanta 5–5 Salernitana | 10 | January 2023 | Recent 10-goal clash |
| AC Milan 9–3 Atalanta | 12?* (but 9 official) | 1972–73 | One of the highest in old era |
| Internazionale 6–3 AC Milan | 9 | 1990–91 | Derby drama |
| AC Milan 9–2 Novara | 11?* (historic scoring) | 1950 | Vintage attacking display |
| Other 9-goal games | 9 | Various | Spread across decades |
| 8-goal matches | 8 | Many years | More common but still epic |
*Note: Some older records include discrepancies or unofficial tallies.
These matches are the pillars of highest scoring games in Serie A history.
What they tell us about Serie A
Though Italy’s top flight is often called “defensive,” these matches betray a secret: under the right conditions, Serie A can be as wild, unpredictable, and ruthless in attack as any league.
- They puncture the stereotype of boring, low-scoring games.
- They reveal how, when defenses break, attackers shine brightest.
- They become part of club lore—fans remember them for decades.
Final Thoughts
Highest scoring games in Serie A history remain the rare gems in Italian football lore—moments when structure gives way to chaos, and thrill reigns. From Lazio’s 7–3 rout to Atalanta’s 5–5 hanging on, these matches resonate through time.
If you loved this dive into Serie A goal madness, stay tuned with DaoKick for deeper analysis: player breakdowns, head-to-head comparisons, and revisit more dream matches. Want a list of top scoring games in La Liga or Premier League next? Just say the word.
