Top Goal Scorers in FIFA World Cup History as Messi Surpasses Klose
The FIFA World Cup has showcased the finest goal scorers from around the globe. Lionel Messi recently surpassed Germany's Miroslav Klose to become the tournament's all-time leading scorer.
Messi's remarkable hat-trick against Austria in the 2026 World Cup opened his account and put him ahead with 18 goals, overtaking Klose's previous record of 16 goals scored across four World Cups. Klose, who had been the top scorer since 2014, made his mark with a hat-trick on debut in 2002 and capped his career with a memorable 7-1 semifinal win over Brazil in 2014.
Leading Names Among World Cup Goal Scorers
The list features legends like Gerd Muller, Jurgen Klinsmann, and Pele. Although Klose never ranked among the world's best strikers during his club career, he shone brightest at the World Cup stage.
The 2026 World Cup again brings stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, possibly for their last appearances, alongside emerging talents like Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane.
Mbappe and Kane Making Moves
Kylian Mbappe took a giant step towards the top spot by scoring twice in France's 3-1 victory over Senegal, pushing him past Pele into joint third place with Gerd Muller and Brazil's Ronaldo. He later edged ahead of both during a match against Iraq.
England captain Harry Kane scored twice in a 4-2 win over Croatia, joining several players with 10 World Cup goals, including Gary Lineker.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup Goal Tally
Despite holding the record for most international goals overall with 143 before the 2026 tournament, Cristiano Ronaldo had only scored eight goals in five World Cups before this event, equaling Diego Maradona’s total.
He recovered from a quiet start against DR Congo to net a brace versus Uzbekistan, surpassing ten career World Cup goals. Ronaldo also became the first player to score in six separate World Cups, exceeding Eusebio as Portugal's top scorer in World Cup history.
