Top Goal Scorers in FIFA World Cup History as Messi Matches Klose
The FIFA World Cup has always showcased the best goal scorers in football history. The upcoming 2026 tournament in North America is expected to feature iconic players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, possibly for their last World Cup appearances.
Besides them, stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane have impressive international records. The World Cup scoring charts also reflect contributions from cult heroes who left their mark on the tournament.
With Messi and Ronaldo both entering their sixth World Cup, it’s interesting to see where they and other legends rank among the highest scorers ever.
Who Holds the Record for Most World Cup Goals?
Miroslav Klose of Germany leads the World Cup goal tally with 16 goals scored over four tournaments. Recently, Messi's hat-trick in Argentina’s opening 2026 match against Algeria tied him with Klose at the summit.
Germany has produced renowned strikers like Gerd Muller and Jurgen Klinsmann, who also appear on this list. Klose was never widely seen as one of the world's top strikers during his career, but he shone brightly in World Cups. He started with a hat-trick against Saudi Arabia in 2002 and ended on a high in 2014, scoring his final World Cup goal during Germany's famous 7-1 semifinal win over Brazil.
List of Top World Cup Scorers
Klose surpassed Brazilian legend Ronaldo, who scored 15 goals including two in Brazil's 2002 final victory over Germany. Mbappe’s two goals in France’s 2026 opener lifted him above Pele and matched Muller with 14 goals, placing him third all-time and closing in on Klose.
England captain Harry Kane began his third World Cup with two goals in a thrilling 4-2 win against Croatia, joining several players tied with 10 World Cup goals, including England’s Gary Lineker.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup Goal Record
Despite holding the record for most international goals overall with 143 before the 2026 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has only scored eight goals across five World Cups, the same total as Diego Maradona.
Ronaldo hopes to reach double digits in 2026 as Portugal aims for a deep tournament run. His start was slow, with no goals in a 1-1 draw against DR Congo. Meanwhile, Brazil’s Neymar also has eight World Cup goals and could climb the rankings if fit enough to perform well in 2026.
