Check out the 10 players who are the highest goalscorers in the history of the World Cup ahead of the 2026 edition of the tournament.
The FIFA World Cup has produced some of football’s greatest goalscorers, with a select group of players leaving their mark on the tournament’s history. From legendary finishers like Miroslav Klose and Ronaldo Nazário to modern icons like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, these players delivered on the biggest stage and built unforgettable scoring records for their countries.
Who is the player with the most goals in World Cup history?
Miroslav Klose is the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history.
The German striker scored 16 goals across four World Cup tournaments: 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. He broke Ronaldo Nazário’s previous record during the 2014 World Cup and remains the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
| Rank | Player | Country | Goals | World Cups | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 16 | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 | 24 |
| 2 | Ronaldo Nazário | Brazil | 15 | 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 | 19 |
| 3 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 14 | 1970, 1974 | 13 |
| 4 | Just Fontaine | France | 13 | 1958 | 6 |
| 4 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 13 | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 | 26 |
| 6 | Kylian Mbappé | France | 12 | 2018, 2022 | 14 |
| 6 | Pelé | Brazil | 12 | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 | 14 |
| 8 | Jürgen Klinsmann | West Germany/Germany | 11 | 1990, 1994, 1998 | 17 |
| 8 | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 11 | 1954 | 5 |
| 10 | Gabriel Batistuta | Argentina | 10 | 1994, 1998, 2002 | 12 |
| 10 | Teófilo Cubillas | Peru | 10 | 1970, 1978, 1982 | 13 |
| 10 | Grzegorz Lato | Poland | 10 | 1974, 1978, 1982 | 20 |
| 10 | Gary Lineker | England | 10 | 1986, 1990 | 12 |
| 10 | Thomas Müller | Germany | 10 | 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 | 19 |
| 10 | Helmut Rahn | West Germany | 10 | 1954, 1958 | 10 |
Which player scored the most goals in a single World Cup?
Just Fontaine holds the record for the most goals scored by a player in a single FIFA World Cup tournament.
The French legend scored 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup, achieving the feat in just six matches. His remarkable record still stands today, making it one of the most iconic scoring achievements in World Cup history.
| Player | Goal breakdown by World Cup |
|---|---|
| Miroslav Klose | 2002: 5, 2006: 5, 2010: 4, 2014: 2 |
| Ronaldo Nazário | 1994: 0, 1998: 4, 2002: 8, 2006: 3 |
| Gerd Müller | 1970: 10, 1974: 4 |
| Just Fontaine | 1958: 13 |
| Lionel Messi | 2006: 1, 2010: 0, 2014: 4, 2018: 1, 2022: 7 |
| Kylian Mbappé | 2018: 4, 2022: 8 |
| Pelé | 1958: 6, 1962: 1, 1966: 1, 1970: 4 |
| Jürgen Klinsmann | 1990: 3, 1994: 5, 1998: 3 |
| Sándor Kocsis | 1954: 11 |
| Gabriel Batistuta | 1994: 4, 1998: 5, 2002: 1 |
| Teófilo Cubillas | 1970: 5, 1978: 5, 1982: 0 |
| Grzegorz Lato | 1974: 7, 1978: 2, 1982: 1 |
| Gary Lineker | 1986: 6, 1990: 4 |
| Thomas Müller | 2010: 5, 2014: 5, 2018: 0, 2022: 0 |
| Helmut Rahn | 1954: 4, 1958: 6 |