All-Time Top World Cup Goal Scorers as Messi Surpasses Klose
The FIFA World Cup has always showcased some of the most prolific scorers in soccer history. Who holds the record for the most goals in this prestigious tournament?
The 2026 World Cup in North America will again feature legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, possibly marking their final appearances on football's biggest stage. Other stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane also bring impressive international goal tallies, but the World Cup scoring charts welcome cult heroes too.
Who Tops the All-Time World Cup Scoring List?
During the 2026 tournament, Argentina's Lionel Messi moved ahead of Germany's Miroslav Klose after a hat-trick against Austria. Before this, Klose held the top spot with 16 goals scored across four World Cups.
Klose, who never had the global superstar status during his club career, excelled in World Cups. He began with a hat-trick in 2002 versus Saudi Arabia and ended with a tournament record 16 goals after Germany’s 7-1 semifinal win over Brazil in 2014.
Ranking of World Cup All-Time Leading Goal Scorers
Klose surpassed Brazil’s Ronaldo, who scored 15 goals at four World Cups, including two in the 2002 final win over Germany. Mbappe rose above Pele and tied with Gerd Muller with 14 goals early in the 2026 tournament. Later, he matched Brazil’s Ronaldo with a goal against Iraq and then moved past him with another.
England captain Harry Kane started his third World Cup with two goals in a thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia. He joined several players who have scored 10 goals in World Cup history, including fellow Englishman Gary Lineker.
Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup Goal Record
Even though Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest scorer in international football with 143 goals before the 2026 World Cup, his World Cup tally stands at eight goals in five tournaments. The same number as Argentine legend Diego Maradona.
Ronaldo started slow in the 2026 tournament with a scoreless draw against DR Congo but bounced back with two first-half goals against Uzbekistan, becoming one of the few to reach double digits in World Cup goals.
He is the first player to score in six different World Cups and now leads Portugal’s all-time World Cup scoring chart, edging past Eusebio, who scored nine goals in the 1966 third-place campaign.
