Top five midfielders with most goals in FIFA World Cup history ft. Jude Bellingham
Diego Maradona and Rivaldo are currently the highest-scoring midfielders in World Cup history.
The ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 has been a goal fest, the likes of which have not been seen before in the history of the quadrennial tournament. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are engaged in a battle to end up as the competition’s all-time top scorer, while Harry Kane and Erling Haaland have also been at their mercurial best.
One surprise inclusion in the top scorers’ list, however, is England midfielder Jude Bellingham. Despite not being a striker, he is currently the Three Lions’ leading goalscorer in the tournament with six goals, one more than Kane.
The Real Madrid player is continuing the proud tradition of goal-scoring midfielders who have graced the competition throughout its 96-year history. Legends of the game, from Diego Maradona to Rivaldo, have continued to pop up with crucial goals from the middle of the park.
Top five midfielders with most World Cup goals
| Sl No. | Player | Nation | Goals |
| 1 | Diego Maradona | Argentina | 8 |
| 2 | Rivaldo | Brazil | 8 |
| 3 | Jude Bellingham | England | 7 |
| 4 | James Rodriguez | Colombia | 6 |
| 5 | Wesley Sneijder | Netherlands | 6 |
5. Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands) – 6 goals
Despite playing mainly as an attacking midfielder, Inter Milan legend Wesley Sneijder scored 31 goals in 134 caps for the Netherlands, while also registering 32 assists. Equally adept at being both a goalscorer and a creator, Sneijder scored six goals and registered three assists in 17 World Cup matches. Five of those goals came in the 2010 edition, firing the Oranje to the final.
Also Read: Top 11 highest scorers in FIFA World Cup history
4. James Rodriguez (Colombia) – 6 goals
Despite scoring 31 goals and registering 43 assists in 131 international caps, there is always the feeling that James Rodriguez came nowhere close to the potential that he showed in the 2014 World Cup. He scored all six of his goals in the tournament in Brazil that year, earning an ultimately ill-fated move to Real Madrid.
3. Jude Bellingham (England) – 7 goals
Jude Bellingham had scored a solitary goal for England in the 2022 World Cup as they crashed out in the quarter-finals. This year, he has scored six times in as many matches, including back-to-back braces in the Round of 16 and the quarter-finals, establishing the Three Lions as one of the tournament’s favourites.
2. Rivaldo (Brazil) – 8 goals
35 goals in 74 international caps would be a record that most strikers would be proud of, but Rivaldo managed it while playing as an attacking midfielder for Brazil. Eight of those goals came in just 14 World Cup appearances, scoring in five consecutive appearances as the Selecao lifted the title in 2002.
1. Diego Maradona (Argentina) – 8 goals
A messianic figure for football lovers of yesteryear, Diego Maradona scored eight goals and eight assists in 21 appearances in the World Cup. Five of those strikes came in the 1986 edition, where La Albiceleste ended as world champions. He scored in his penultimate game in the 1994 edition against Greece before a positive drug test brought an end to his international career.
How many goals has Jude Bellingham scored in FIFA World Cup?
Bellingham has scored seven goals in the tournament, including six in FIFA World Cup 2026.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.