Messi and Mbappe's 2026 World Cup Goal Tally Compared to All-Time Records
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have thrilled soccer fans with their goal-scoring prowess, but the record for most goals in a single World Cup remains untouched since 1958. That mark belongs to Just Fontaine, who scored 13 goals in one tournament. Though Messi and Mbappe have had impressive runs—Messi with seven and Mbappe with eight goals in past tournaments—they still have a ways to go to challenge Fontaine’s long-standing record.
World Cup Single-Tournament Goal Record
Just Fontaine's 13 goals in the 1958 World Cup broke the previous record of 11 set by Sandor Kocsis in 1954. Gerd Muller nearly caught up with 10 goals in 1970 but fell short by one. Since then, no player has surpassed double digits in a World Cup. Mbappe’s hat trick in the 2022 final brought him to eight goals, an outstanding feat, but his France team lost to Messi’s Argentina in penalties.
Leading Scorers at the 2026 World Cup So Far
After Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria, Messi leads the scoring charts with five goals. Mbappe is close behind with four. Several other players, including Germany’s Deniz Undav and Canada’s Jonathan David, have three goals each.
Teams with Most Goals in a Single World Cup Tournament
Some countries have had remarkable goal-scoring tournaments. Hungary’s 27 goals in 1954 top the list, followed by West Germany’s 25 goals in the same year. Brazil features multiple times, including 22 goals in 1950 and 19 in 1970. More recent tournaments rarely see such high tallies.
Top Scorers for Each Team at the 2026 World Cup
The table below lists the highest goal scorers for every country competing in 2026, reflecting their career tallies and appearances as of June 22, 2026. Many current stars like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar remain active participants.
All-Time World Cup Team Goal Leaders
The teams with the highest total World Cup goals ever scored are led by Brazil with 242 goals, just ahead of Germany at 241. Argentina, France, and Italy follow closely behind.
