Most World Cup Goals by a Player Ever — All-Time Top Scorers List
Lionel Messi of Argentina is now the greatest goalscorer in World Cup history. His 18 goals across six tournaments — capped by a record-breaking campaign at the 2026 World Cup — surpassed Miroslav Klose's men's record of 16. Kylian Mbappé equalled Klose at the same tournament. Below is the complete all-time ranking.
| Rank | Player | Country | Goals | Tournaments | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Lionel MessiAll-time record | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 18 | 6 | 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 |
| 🥈 | Miroslav Klose | 🇩🇪 Germany | 16 | 4 | 2002 2006 2010 2014 |
| 🥈 | Kylian MbappeActive | 🇫🇷 France | 16 | 3 | 2018 2022 2026 |
| 4 | Ronaldo Nazario | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 15 | 4 | 1994 1998 2002 2006 |
| 5 | Gerd Muller | 🇩🇪 West Germany | 14 | 2 | 1970 1974 |
| 6 | Just FontaineAll 13 in one tournament | 🇫🇷 France | 13 | 1 | 1958 |
| 7 | Pele | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 12 | 4 | 1958 1962 1966 1970 |
| 8 | Sandor Kocsis | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 11 | 1 | 1954 |
| 8 | Jurgen Klinsmann | 🇩🇪 Germany | 11 | 4 | 1986 1990 1994 1998 |
| 10 | Helmut Rahn | 🇩🇪 West Germany | 10 | 2 | 1954 1958 |
| 10 | Gary Lineker | 🏴 England | 10 | 2 | 1986 1990 |
| 10 | Gabriel Batistuta | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 10 | 3 | 1994 1998 2002 |
| 10 | Teofilo Cubillas | 🇵🇪 Peru | 10 | 3 | 1970 1978 1982 |
| 10 | Thomas Muller | 🇩🇪 Germany | 10 | 3 | 2010 2014 2018 |
| 10 | Grzegorz Lato | 🇵🇱 Poland | 10 | 3 | 1974 1978 1982 |
| 10 | Cristiano RonaldoActive | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 10 | 6 | 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 |
| 17 | Eusebio | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 9 | 1 | 1966 |
| 17 | Christian Vieri | 🇮🇹 Italy | 9 | 3 | 1994 1998 2002 |
| 17 | Harry KaneActive | 🏴 England | 9 | 3 | 2018 2022 2026 |
| 17 | Ademir | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 9 | 1 | 1950 |
Key Facts
- →Lionel Messi broke Klose's all-time record at the 2026 World Cup, finishing with 18 goals across six tournaments. Kylian Mbappé equalled Klose on 16 at the same tournament.
- →Just Fontaine scored all 13 of his goals in a single tournament in 1958 — a record considered one of the most unbreakable in all of football.
- →Mbappé at 27 ended the 2026 World Cup with 16 goals, joint second all-time. He could break Messi's record of 18 at the 2030 World Cup if France go deep.
- →Cristiano Ronaldo scored at six different World Cups — the only player ever to do so. His 10 career goals make him Portugal's all-time top scorer in the competition.
- →Harry Kane won the Golden Boot in 2018 with 6 goals. With 9 total he is England's all-time top scorer at World Cups.
- →Germany as a nation produced 4 of the top 17 all-time scorers — Klose, Gerd Muller, Thomas Muller and Klinsmann.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has scored the most World Cup goals of all time?
Lionel Messi of Argentina holds the all-time record with 18 World Cup goals, set at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. He broke Miroslav Klose's men's record of 16, which had stood since 2014. Kylian Mbappé equalled Klose at the same tournament.
Has Mbappe broken Klose's World Cup goals record?
Kylian Mbappé equalled Miroslav Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals at the 2026 World Cup, but Lionel Messi broke it first — finishing the tournament on 18. Mbappé is now joint second all-time alongside Klose on 16 and could break Messi's record at the 2030 World Cup.
How many World Cup goals did Messi score?
Lionel Messi scored 18 World Cup goals across six tournaments between 2006 and 2026. He is the all-time men's record holder, surpassing Klose's 16. At the 2026 World Cup alone he scored 5 goals, including a hat-trick against Algeria and a brace against Austria that broke Klose's record.
Who scored the most goals in a single World Cup tournament?
Just Fontaine of France scored 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden — all in just six matches. The record has stood for over 65 years and is widely considered one of the most unbreakable records in football.
How many World Cup goals did Cristiano Ronaldo score?
Cristiano Ronaldo scored 10 World Cup goals across six tournaments between 2006 and 2026. He is the first and only player to have scored at six different World Cup tournaments — a milestone he reached with a brace against Uzbekistan at the 2026 World Cup.
Who is England's all-time top scorer at the World Cup?
Harry Kane is England's all-time top scorer at the World Cup with 9 goals across three tournaments — 2018, 2022 and 2026. He won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup with 6 goals in Russia.
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