With the 2026 World Cup in full swing, it was solely a matter of time earlier than Argentina‘s Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappé broke the all-time report that stood earlier than the match.
Already thought-about by many as the best of all time, Messi was the primary to attain extra goals than another participant in World Cup historical past. He earned his 17th and 18th throughout Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria. Then he added one other in opposition to Jordan on a chic free kick from outdoors the field for his nineteenth in the competitors. Entering Sunday’s World Cup last, Messi has 21 all-time World Cup goals.
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But he’s now second amongst all objective scorers. Thanks to 2 goals in the third-place game in opposition to England, Mbappé is now the all-time main scorer in World Cup historical past with 22. At 27, Mbappé might play in one or two extra World Cups, too.
Here are the highest-scoring gamers in the historical past of FIFA’s quadrennial world match.
No. 9 (tied): Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (11)
Portugal’s all-time main synthetic his approach into this checklist late in Portugal’s game in opposition to Croatia in the Round of 32 after having not scored in the knockout spherical of the World Cup in his profession earlier than the penalty kick in the second half of the 2026 match. He had two goals earlier in the match in opposition to Uzbekistan and has scored in all six World Cup tournaments he is performed in.
(BORIS HORVAT by way of Getty Images)
No. 9 (tied): Jürgen Klinsmann, Germany (11)
Klinsmann might be higher identified now as a former U.S. and Germany supervisor, however in his heyday, the ahead was a scoring menace. He tallied 11 goals throughout three World Cups, together with in 1990 when Germany received the match.
Hungary’s Sandor Kocsis scored his 11 World Cup goals on the 1954 match. (Photo by AFP by way of Getty Images)
(- by way of Getty Images)
No. 9 (tied): Sándor Kocsis, Hungary (11)
Kocsis had a nationwide workforce report of seven hat tips for Hungary and scored all 11 of his World Cup goals on the 1954 match. He had two hat tips in that World Cup however the Hungarians fell in the ultimate in opposition to West Germany.
(STAFF by way of Getty Images)
No. 8: Pelé, Brazil (12)
While many take into account him the GOAT, the Brazilian legend wants no introduction. He made his debut on the 1958 World Cup and delivered six goals as a 17-year-old whereas Brazil received all of it. He solely performed in 4 matches complete over the next two World Cups, however Brazil received all of it once more in 1962. To cap off his profession, he led his nation to a different title on the 1970 World Cup for a complete of 12 goals.
France’s Just Fontaine scored 13 goals at a single World Cup in 1958. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone by way of Getty Images)
(Keystone-France by way of Getty Images)
No. 7: Just Fontaine, France (13)
France striker Just Fontaine stands alone in historical past in phrases of goals at a single World Cup. He scored an astonishing 13 goals in six video games at Sweden 1958 – a report for one World Cup. ‘Justo’ had a hat trick, two braces, a game-winner, a objective in opposition to champion Brazil and a four-goal outing in the third-place playoff game.
(Chris Brunskill/Fantasista by way of Getty Images)
No. 5 (tied): Harry Kane, England (14)
England’s talisman got here into this match with eight goals throughout his first two World Cups. He had six in 2018 and two extra in 2022 because the Three Lions acquired to the semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively. He had a brace in the 2026 World Cup opener in opposition to Croatia, after which nabbed one other in opposition to Panama to overtake Gary Lineker as England’s all-time leader in the competition. Then he saved the Three Lions with a 3rd brace in the Round of 32 in opposition to Congo and added one other objective in opposition to Mexico in the Round of 16.
West Germany’s Gerd Müller ended his World Cup profession with 14 goals. (Photo by AFP by way of Getty Images)
(STAFF by way of Getty Images)
No. 5 (tied): Gerd Müller, West Germany (14)
Müller is one other participant whose effectivity has stood the take a look at of time. He solely performed in two World Cups (1970 and 1974), however delivered 10 goals to win the Golden Boot in the previous and added one other 4 goals in his second and last match, which West Germany received.
Brazil’s Ronaldo completed his worldwide profession with 15 World Cup goals. (AFP/Antonio Scorza)
(ANTONIO SCORZA by way of Getty Images)
No. 4: Ronaldo, Brazil (15)
Another Brazilian legend, Ronaldo made the World Cup-winning 1994 workforce however did not see any motion. Over the subsequent three tournaments although, Ronaldo went on a tear, scoring 4 goals in 1998, eight in 2002 when Brazil received all of it, after which he tacked on one other three at his last World Cup in 2006.
Germany’s Miroslav Klose completed his worldwide profession with 16 World Cup goals.
(Adam Davy – EMPICS by way of Getty Images)
No. 3: Miroslav Klose, Germany (16)
The title that is been talked about lots as Messi and Mbappé pursued historical past, Klose was greatest referred to as a relentless poacher who by no means missed a chance in entrance of the web. The striker had 5 goals every in 2002 and 2006. Then he added one other 4 in 2010 and capped off his worldwide profession with two extra on the 2014 World Cup as Germany hoisted the trophy.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi scored a hat trick in his nation’s opener. (Photo by Tom Weller/image alliance by way of Getty Images)
(image alliance by way of Getty Images)
No. 2: Lionel Messi, Argentina (21)
The Argentinian is simply adding to his legacy with each dart by an opposing protection. He shredded Algeria for his first World Cup hat trick in the workforce’s opener and broke the report with a traditional strike after which added a second objective in opposition to Algeria. He began on the bench in opposition to Jordan, nevertheless it did not matter. He scored on a free kick all the identical. Then, in the Round of 32, he opened the scoring in opposition to Cape Verde with a cute punch previous the keeper for his twentieth objective in the competitors. This is Messi’s sixth World Cup as he seems to comply with up the 2022 match the place he scored seven goals and led Argentina to the title.
France’s Kylian Mbappe has 22 goals in three World Cups. (Rob Newell/Getty Images)
(Rob Newell – CameraSport by way of Getty Images)
No. 1: Kylian Mbappé, France (22)
The French sparkplug has quickly ascended this checklist and has, for now, caught Lionel Messi on the high of it. He’s solely 27 years previous and has 21 goals in 21 World Cup appearances after scoring in the third-place game in opposition to England. He had 4 in his debut on the 2018 World Cup when France received all of it, eight in 2022 when France misplaced to Argentina in the title game, and he has continued to pile on on the 2026 World Cup in North America. His second-half gem in opposition to Morocco put Les Bleus up after a impasse and ran his complete as much as eight in this match.