Kenya Sport

Lionel Messi Tops World Cup All-Time Scoring List, Mbappé Not Far Behind

The 2026 World Cup is underway, and Argentina's Lionel Messi has surpassed all previous goal-scoring records in the tournament's history. He scored his 17th and 18th goals during Argentina's 2-0 victory over Austria, then added a stunning free kick against Jordan for his 19th goal. The question now is how many more he will score as the competition continues.

France's Kylian Mbappé has climbed to second place on the all-time scoring list during the knockout rounds, but Messi maintains a slim lead.

Top World Cup Goal Scorers

  • No. 9 (tied): Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (11 goals)Ronaldo joined this list late in Portugal's Round of 32 match against Croatia by scoring his first knockout round goal via penalty. He's scored in all six World Cups he has played, including two goals earlier in the 2026 tournament against Uzbekistan.
  • No. 9 (tied): Jürgen Klinsmann, Germany (11 goals)Now better known as a former coach, Klinsmann was a prolific forward who netted 11 goals across three World Cups, contributing to Germany's 1990 title.
  • No. 9 (tied): Sándor Kocsis, Hungary (11 goals)Kocsis scored all 11 of his World Cup goals during the 1954 tournament, including two hat tricks, though Hungary lost to West Germany in the final.
  • No. 8: Pelé, Brazil (12 goals)Pelé burst onto the scene in 1958 with six goals as a teenager, helping Brazil win the title. He added to his tally in 1962 and 1970, finishing with 12 goals and three World Cup wins.
  • No. 7: Just Fontaine, France (13 goals)Fontaine holds the record for most goals in a single World Cup, scoring 13 in six games during the 1958 tournament, including a four-goal performance in the third-place match.
  • No. 5 (tied): Harry Kane, England (14 goals)Kane entered the 2026 tournament with eight goals from previous World Cups. He scored multiple braces in this edition, surpassing Gary Lineker as England's top scorer in World Cup history.
  • No. 5 (tied): Gerd Müller, West Germany (14 goals)Müller scored 10 goals in the 1970 World Cup to win the Golden Boot and added four more in 1974, the year West Germany claimed the title.
  • No. 4: Ronaldo, Brazil (15 goals)Ronaldo was part of the 1994 winning squad but did not play. He scored four goals in 1998, eight in 2002 during Brazil's championship run, and three in 2006.
  • No. 3: Miroslav Klose, Germany (16 goals)Klose is known for his consistent scoring across four World Cups, with five goals each in 2002 and 2006, four in 2010, and two in 2014 when Germany won.
  • No. 2: Kylian Mbappé, France (19 goals)At only 27, Mbappé has scored 17 goals in 18 World Cup matches, including four in 2018 and eight in 2022. His 2026 performance keeps him close behind Messi.
  • No. 1: Lionel Messi, Argentina (20 goals)Messi has continued to build his legacy, recording his first World Cup hat trick against Algeria and breaking the all-time scoring record with multiple goals throughout the 2026 tournament. This marks his sixth World Cup appearance after leading Argentina to the title in 2022 with seven goals.

Related Articles