The race for the most goals in FIFA World Cup history has taken another dramatic turn after Lionel Messi produced a stunning performance against Algeria in the 2026 tournament. The Argentina captain scored a hat-trick in his opening match, taking his World Cup goal tally to 16 and drawing level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose as the highest goal scorer in World Cup history.
Messi’s latest achievement adds another record to his remarkable career. The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already become historic for the Argentine forward, as he became the first footballer to feature in six editions of the men’s FIFA World Cup.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner reached the milestone when he started Argentina’s opening match of the 2026 tournament against Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri. The match also marked his 200th international appearance for Argentina.
FIFA World Cup top scorers all time list
Here are the players with the most goals in FIFA World Cup history:
1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 16 goals
2. Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals
3. Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15 goals
4. Kylian Mbappe (France) – 14 goals
5. Gerd Muller (West Germany) – 14 goals
6. Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals
7. Pele (Brazil) – 12 goals
8. Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) – 11 goals
9. Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany) – 11 goals
Other football greats including Helmut Rahn, Gary Lineker, Gabriel Batistuta, Teofilo Cubillas, Thomas Muller and Grzegorz Lato have scored 10 goals each.
Messi equals Klose’s record with World Cup hat-trick
Before the 2026 tournament, Miroslav Klose held the record for the most World Cup goals with 16 strikes for Germany.
Klose achieved the landmark across four World Cup appearances — 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 — scoring 16 goals in 24 matches. His final World Cup campaign ended with Germany lifting the trophy in 2014.
Now, Messi has matched that record after continuing his incredible run on football’s biggest stage.
The Argentina captain has scored across six World Cup tournaments since making his debut in 2006. His journey reached its peak in 2022 when he guided Argentina to the World Cup title and finished the tournament with seven goals.
Messi breaks World Cup appearance record
Apart from his goal-scoring achievement, Messi also created history with his sixth World Cup appearance.
The Argentine star moved ahead of several football legends who previously shared the record for most World Cup appearances, including Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, Antonio Carbajal, Andres Guardado, Rafael Marquez of Mexico and Germany’s Lothar Matthaus.
His 2026 campaign has added another chapter to a career filled with records and historic moments.
Ronaldo’s World Cup record remains behind Messi and Mbappe
Brazil legend Ronaldo remains among the greatest World Cup scorers, with 15 goals in 19 matches.
Ronaldo won two World Cup titles with Brazil and became one of the tournament’s most feared attackers during his career. His record was matched by Messi before the Argentina captain moved ahead with his latest performance.
Mbappe continues France’s scoring legacy
France forward Kylian Mbappe is also among the leading World Cup scorers despite being much younger than most players on the list.
Mbappe has scored 14 goals across his World Cup appearances and is level with German legend Gerd Muller. The French striker played a key role in France’s 2018 title win and was one of the standout performers in the 2022 tournament.
At 27 years old, Mbappe has time to challenge the record held by Messi and Klose.
Cristiano Ronaldo has eight World Cup goals
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the most recognisable names in World Cup history but sits below Messi and Mbappe in the all-time scoring chart.
Ronaldo has scored eight goals across five World Cup appearances since making his debut in 2006. The Portugal forward continues to add to his international records but remains behind Messi in the World Cup scoring race.
Messi and Mbappe reshape World Cup scoring history
For decades, Klose’s record looked almost impossible to break. But Messi’s consistency across six tournaments and Mbappe’s rapid rise have changed the conversation around the World Cup’s greatest goal scorers.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup still underway, the battle for the top spot could become one of the biggest stories in football history.
