Top 14 highest scorers in FIFA World Cup history ft. Kylian Mbappe & Lionel Messi

The history of the competition has seen some of the most gifted footballers shine.

The FIFA World Cup has produced some of football’s greatest goal scorers. From Miroslav Klose’s record-breaking tally to Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe’s remarkable achievements, several legends have left their mark on the tournament.

Here’s the updated list of the highest goal scorers in FIFA World Cup history as of June 2026.

Here are the top 13 all-time highest scorers in the FIFA World Cup.

Rank	Player	Country	Goals
1	Lionel Messi	Argentina	19
2	Kylian Mbappe	France	18
3	Miroslav Klose	Germany	16
4	Ronaldo Nazario	Brazil	15
5	Gerd Muller	Germany	14

14. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 10 goals

Joining this elite group at the 13th position is Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who cements his place among the all-time greats with his brace against Uzbekistan in the second match of the group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026, taking his tally to 10 goals.

13. Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina) – 10 goals

Argentina’s legendary striker, Gabriel Batistuta, starts off the list with 10 goals in the FIFA World Cup. The forward played 12 matches to achieve the feat. He also participated in three different editions of the tournament (1994, 1998 and 2002). 

12. Gary Lineker (England) – 10 goals

Gary Lineker is hailed as one of the best forwards England has ever produced. The incredibly gifted striker played in only two FIFA World Cup tournaments (1986 and 1990) but became one of the highest scorers in the tournament. He made 12 appearances in the tournament, scoring 10 times for the Three Lions.

11. Helmut Rahn (West Germany) – 10 goals

Helmut Rahn played for West Germany at the 1954 and 1958 FIFA World Cups and scored 10 goals. He took 10 matches to achieve the feat and therefore finishes higher than other players who also scored the same amount of goals. He also won the 1954 FIFA World Cup with West Germany.

10. Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany) – 11 goals

Jürgen Klinsmann is next up on the list, who scored 11 goals for Die Mannschaft in the tournament. He represented both West Germany and Germany after the unification. The player scored 11 goals in three editions across 17 games.

9. Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) – 11 goals

Sandor Kocsis is one of Hungary’s all-time greatest players. The striker scored all of his 11 goals in the 1954 World Cup, guiding them to the final. He played five matches to score 11 goals at a rate of 2.20 goals per game. He further has a record of scoring 75 goals in 68 appearances for Hungary. 

8. Pelé (Brazil) – 12 goals

Pele is hailed as one of the greatest players to ever grace the sport. The legendary forward was an exceptional goalscorer throughout his career. One of the highest scorers in the FIFA World Cup, He netted 12 times, helping Brazil to clinch the trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970. 

7. Harry Kane (England) – 13 goals

England star Harry Kane has 13 goals in FIFA World Cup and has led his team to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

6. Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals

France have had several legendary strikers play for them on the international stage. One of them was Just Fontaine and perhaps one of the most clinical strikers of his generation. Fontaine scored 13 goals in merely six games in the 1958 World Cup. 

5. Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 14 goals

Gerd Müller is considered to be one of the best forwards of all time. He played for West Germany at the 1970 and 1974 FIFA World Cup editions, scoring 14 goals in 13 appearances. Gerd Müller is the highest goalscorer ever in the Bundesliga as well. He also guided West Germany to the 1974 FIFA World Cup triumph.

4. Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (Brazil) – 15 goals

Ronaldo is still considered by many as the best and most complete striker ever. The Brazilian scored 15 goals to be the second-highest scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup. He played in four editions of the tournament (1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006). Brazil lifted the 2002 FIFA World Cup trophy, courtesy of its two goals in the final against Germany.  

3. Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals

Miroslav Klose holds the top spot among the highest scorers in the FIFA World Cup. The German played in the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 editions, winning it once. He scored an overall 16 goals in 24 matches. He has made the second-most number of World Cup appearances as well, one behind fellow countryman, Lothar Matthäus.

2. Kylian Mbappé (France) – 18 goals

Kylian Mbappé has taken his FIFA World Cup tally to 16 goals after another brace vs Iraq, making him the joint second-highest scorer in the tournament’s history. Mbappe has scored six goals in just four matches of the 2026 World Cup. The France captain is now ahead of Klose with 18 World Cup goals. He continues to close in on the all-time record.

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 19 goals

A 2022 FIFA World Cup winner and Golden Ball recipient, Lionel Messi is playing in his sixth World Cup in 2026. Often hailed as the greatest player of all time, the Argentine superstar enhanced his remarkable record with a hat-trick against Algeria. He has broken Miroslav Klose’s record for all-time World Cup goals against Austria during Argentina’s second fixture of the 2026 World Cup.

**Statistics sourced from FIFA official records and World Cup match data. Updated on June 28, 2026.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.