FULL LIST: Top 25 World Cup all-time leading scorers
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- Lionel Messi and Miroslav Klose now share the record for most FIFA World Cup goals with 16 each.
- Messi achieved this milestone with a hat-trick in a recent qualifier, while Klose set his record over four World Cups.
- The list includes other legendary scorers like Ronaldo Nazário, Gerd Müller, and Pelé.
Argentina's Lionel Messi and Germany's Miroslav Klose are now tied at the top of the all-time FIFA World Cup leading scorers list. Both players have netted 16 goals in the prestigious tournament.
Messi reached this shared record following a hat-trick in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match. He has participated in six World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026), accumulating his goals over 27 appearances.
The FIFA World Cup has produced some of football’s greatest goalscorers since its inception in 1930, with legends from across generations featuring on the all-time scoring chart.
Klose, who previously held the sole record, scored his 16 goals across four World Cup tournaments (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014) in 24 matches. His consistent scoring record for Germany cemented his place in World Cup history.
The updated list, provided by FIFA, features other footballing giants. Brazil's Ronaldo Nazário is third with 15 goals, followed by Germany's Gerd Müller and France's Kylian Mbappé, both with 14 goals. Pelé, the Brazilian legend, ranks seventh with 12 goals from his four World Cup appearances.
World Cup goals record just a number, says Messi
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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