Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are vying to become not just 2026 World Cup winners but also the greatest goalscorers in the history of the tournament. Here is how they compare with others on the all-time list.
Golden Boot: World Cup 2026 Top Goalscorers
Lionel Messi started his 2026 World Cup campaign with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria. The trio of strikes gave him a career total of 16 World Cup goals, equalling the existing record held by Miroslav Klose. It is reasonable to expect the Inter Miami player to set a new mark this summer, but he is being chased hard by Kylian Mbappé. He scored twice in France's opening match victory against Senegal, giving him a total of 14 goals since his competition debut eight years ago.
The list below shows the top 20 World Cup goalscorers of all time, based on data provided by Transfermarkt. If two players are tied, advantage is given to the player with fewer appearances.
All-Time Top World Cup Goalscorers
- Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals in 24 matches (2002-2014)
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 16 goals in 26 matches (2006-2026)
- Kylian Mbappé (France) – 14 goals in 14 matches (2018-2026)
- Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15 goals in 19 matches (1994-2006)
- Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 14 goals in 13 matches (1970-1974)
- Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals in 6 matches (1958)
- Pelé (Brazil) – 12 goals in 14 matches (1958-1970)
- Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) – 11 goals in 5 matches (1954)
- Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany) – 11 goals in 17 matches (1990-1998)
- Helmut Rahn (West Germany) – 10 goals in 10 matches (1954-1958)
Other notable names include Gary Lineker (10 goals), Gabriel Batistuta (10), Teofilo Cubillas (10), Thomas Müller (10), Grzegorz Lato (10), and Eusébio (9). The list continues with players like Uwe Seeler, Roberto Baggio, and David Villa, each with 9 goals.
As the tournament progresses, both Messi and Mbappé have the opportunity to climb higher and potentially break the record. Their performances will be closely watched by football fans worldwide.
