Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Miroslav Klose, Ronaldo, Just Fontaine, Pelé, Gerd Müller, Harry Kane and Thomas Müller are among the greatest soccer players on this list.
The FIFA World Cup is also known as the festival of sport. In the History of the FIFA World Cup, the top goal record was set by a German footballer, who scored 16 goals, and the Brazilian star is in the 2nd position in the row. We are sharing the all-time top scorer of FIFA World Cup history. Brazil has won the Fair Play Trophy the most times (4) since its inception in 1970.
Exactly. By the conclusion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a total of 2,720 goals had been scored across the 22 editions of the tournament (spanning 964 matches from 1930 to 2022). The 2026 FIFA World Cup has become the fastest edition of the tournament to hit 100 goals since 1958 – with the landmark reached in the 33rd game. As of July 11, 2026, there have been 282 goals scored across 97 matches, averaging 2.91 goals per game.
The FIFA World Cup began in 1930 and has since grown into the most prestigious tournament in football, with goals scored in every edition contributing to this impressive tally. Here are the top 6 all-time top scorers of the FIFA World Cup History
The all-time top scorer of the FIFA World Cup
Lionel Messi is the new all-time top goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. As of July 10, 2026, Lionel Messi has surpassed Miroslav Klose by scoring a total of 21 goals.
Kylian Mbappé has also moved up the rankings, currently tying Klose for second place with 16 goals.
| S. No | Player | Team(s) | Apps | G | Pen | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 31 | 21 | 4 | 0.64 |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappé | France | 20 | 20 | 2 | 1.00 |
| 3 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 24 | 16 | 0 | 0.67 |
| 4 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 19 | 15 | 1 | 0.79 |
| 5 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 13 | 14 | 1 | 1.08 |
| 6 | Harry Kane | England | 14 | 16 | 4 | 1.08 |
| 6 | Just Fontaine | France | 6 | 13 | 0 | 2.17 |
| 7 | Pelé | Brazil | 14 | 12 | 0 | 0.86 |
All-Time FIFA World Cup Top Goalscorers
1. Lionel Messi | 21 Goles | Argentina
World Cup goal king, Lionel Messi, is the all-time top scorer for the Argentina national football team and now the undisputed top scorer in FIFA World Cup history.
He became the World Cup’s record scorer, overtaking Miroslav Klose in 2026. Lionel Messi is currently active and continuing to add to his tally in the 2026 tournament.
He is also known as “THE GOAT”
Lionel Messi is celebrating his record-breaking 21st World Cup goal. He has played 28 games between 2006 and 2026.
Messi is the top scorer in FIFA World Cup history. A total of 21 goals in 31 appearances between the 2006 and 2026 FIFA World Cup. The forward broke the record with a brace against Austria in the 2026 group stage.
He has won the World Cup (2022), two Golden Balls, and led Argentina to global glory. He continues to perform at the highest level, with the world watching his every move in 2026.
- Adidas Golden Ball – FIFA World Cup 2014, 2022
- FIFA World Cup 2022 – Winning the trophy in Qatar
List of FIFA World Cup goals scored by Lionel Messi
| Playing career at FIFA Tournaments | |
|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup Final (All time) | 21 Goals (31 matches) |
| 2006 | One goal |
| 2010 | Zero goals |
| 2014 | Four goals |
| 2018 | One goal |
| 2022 | Seven goals |
| 2026 | Eight goals (Ongoing) |
2. Kylian Mbappé | 20 Goles | France
World Cup goal king, Kylian Mbappé, is the all-time top scorer for the France national football team in World Cup history. Kylian Mbappé is one of the superstars of the World Cup.
Kylian Mbappé is now tied as the World Cup’s second all-time record scorer with Miroslav Klose. He is currently active and continues to add to his tally in the 2026 tournament.
He is also known as “THE DONATELLO”
Kylian Mbappé is celebrating his record-equaling 20th World Cup goal. He has played 20 games between 2018 and 2026.
Kylian Mbappé is currently tied as the second-highest scorer in FIFA World Cup history, with a total of 20 goals in 20 appearances spanning the 2018 to 2026 tournaments. During the 2026 World Cup, he matched Miroslav Klose’s record for most goals scored in World Cup history.
He has won the World Cup (2018), the Golden Boot (2022), and reached back-to-back finals. He continues to perform at an extraordinary pace, averaging an incredible one goal per match.
- Adidas Golden Boot – FIFA World Cup 2022
- FIFA World Cup 2018 – Winning the trophy in Russia
List of FIFA World Cup goals scored by Kylian Mbappé
| Playing career at FIFA Tournaments | |
|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup Final (All time) | 20 Goals (20 matches) |
| 2018 | Four goals |
| 2022 | Eight goals |
| 2026 | Eight goals (Ongoing) |
3. Miroslav Klose | 16 Goles | Germany
World Cup goal king, Miroslav Klose is the 3rd all-time top scorer for the German national football team. Miroslav Klose is one of the superstars of the World Cup. He became the World Cup’s record scorer and a legend in Germany. Miroslav Klose retired from football in 2014 after winning the FIFA World Cup final.
He is also know as ” WORLD CUP GOAL KING”
Miroslav Klose is celebrating his record-breaking 16th World Cup goal. He played 137 games between 2001 and 2014.
Klose is also the top scorer of FIFA World cup and the most goal scorers in the FIFA World Cup history. A total of 16 goals in 24 appearances between the 2002 to 2014 FIFA World Cup. The striker scored his 16th goal in the finals during Germany’s World Cup triumph in 2014.
He has won the World Cup, two Bundesliga titles, and an Italian Cup. He scored 61 goals for the club in his five years, every one of them celebrated by a German press delighted to see him appreciated once again.
- Adidas Golden Shoe – FIFA World Cup 2006
- FIFA World Cup 2014 – Winning the trophy in 2014
List of FIFA World Cup goals scored by Miroslav Klose
| Playing career at FIFA Tournaments | |
| FIFA World Cup Final (All time) 2002 2006 2010 2014 | 16 Goals (24 matches) Five goals Five goals Four goals Two goals |
| FIFA World Cup Qualifiers | 13 (19 matches) |
4. Ronaldo Nazário | Brasil | 15 gols
All-time star player Ronaldo is one of the greatest players of all time and the most important indicator of success in football. He is the number of trophies won during the player’s career. He is a professional footballer who played for Brazil in 98 matches, scoring 62 goals and is the third-hig6hest goal scorer for his national team.
Between 1998 and 2006, Ronaldo scored 15 goals and was considered one of the greatest footballers, earning FIFA World Player of the Year three times and winning two Ballon d’Or awards.
Ronaldo is the player with the second most goals, scoring 15 in 19 matches.
List of FIFA World Cup goals scored by Ronaldo
| Playing career at FIFA Tournaments | |
| FIFA World Cup Final(1998, 2002, 2006) | 15(19 matches) |
5. Gerd Müller | Germany | 14 Goles
He is a German retired footballer. He is regarded as one of the greatest goal-scorers of all time. Gerd Müller scored 14 goals for West Germany. He is the top scorer on the FIFA World Cup history list.
Muller ranks third among FIFA World Cup goal scorers with 14 goals for West Germany
Gerd Muller was a Striker and scored 68 goals in 62 appearances for Germany. He was voted 13th in the IFFHS World Player of the Century election. The International Federation of Football History and Statistics conducted this election.
List of FIFA World Cup goals scored by Gerd Müller
| Playing career at FIFA Tournaments | |
| FIFA World Cup Final (1970, 1974) | 13 (14 matches) |
Who is the all-time top scorer in FIFA World Cup history?
Argentina’s Lionel Messi is the all-time top scorer in men’s FIFA World Cup history, with 21 career goals in 31 games.
Who is the leading goal scorer in World Cup history?
Lionel Messi of Argentina is the all-time leading goal scorer in men’s World Cup history, with a total of 21 goals across six tournaments. He set this record by surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose during the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Who is the world’s highest goal scorer in football history?
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the top scorer in international football, with a record of 146 goals in 233 appearances, making him the highest goal scorer in football history. As of July 2026, he has amassed over 976 official career goals across top-level club competitions and international play.
he All-Time Top 5 Goal Scorers
| Rank | Player | Career Goals | Active Status / Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 976 | Active (Al Nassr & Portugal) |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | 860+ | Active (Inter Miami & Argentina) |
| 3 | Josef Bican | 805 | 1930s–1950s |
| 4 | Pelé | 762 | 1950s–1970s |
| 5 | Romário | 755 | 1980s–2000s |
