Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé Chase Historic World Cup Goals Record in 2026
- Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé will enter the 2026 World Cup with a realistic chance of breaking the tournament's all-time goalscoring record
- Legendary Germany forward Miroslav Klose's long-standing mark of 16 World Cup goals is now under serious threat from both stars
- Several other active players remain among the leading World Cup scorers but trail significantly behind the top contenders
The 2026 FIFA World Cup could provide the stage for one of football’s most iconic records to be broken.
Two of the game's biggest stars, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, are closing in on the all-time World Cup scoring record currently held by Miroslav Klose.
The former Germany striker remains the highest goalscorer in World Cup history with 16 goals, but both Messi and Mbappé will have the opportunity to challenge that mark when the tournament begins in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Source: Getty Images
Messi, Mbappe chasing scoring record
World Cup history has often been defined by crucial goals, and no player has scored more of them than Klose.
The German striker netted 16 goals in 24 World Cup appearances across four tournaments. He scored five goals in both the 2002 and 2006 editions, added four more in 2010 and finished with two goals in 2014 as Germany lifted the trophy.
In doing so, Klose surpassed legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo Nazário, who scored 15 World Cup goals, and German great Gerd Müller, who finished with 14.
While Klose's record has stood for more than a decade, it now appears increasingly vulnerable.
Messi heads into the 2026 World Cup with 13 goals from five World Cup tournaments.
The Argentine captain needs only three goals to equal Klose's record and four to become the outright leading scorer in World Cup history.
His goals have come across four tournaments: one in Germany 2006, four in Brazil 2014, one in Russia 2018 and seven during Argentina's triumphant campaign in Qatar 2022. The only World Cup in which he failed to score was South Africa 2010.
Mbappé emerges as Klose's biggest challenger
Mbappé is even closer than many realize.
The French superstar has already scored 12 World Cup goals in just 14 matches across two tournaments, putting him level with Brazilian icon Pelé.
He won the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and finished as runner-up in Qatar in 2022.
At the age of 27, Mbappé needs four goals to draw level with Klose and five to surpass the German's record. Given his age, he could potentially continue adding to his tally in future World Cups as well.
Mbappé scored four goals in 2018 and followed that with eight goals in 2022, including a hat-trick in the final against Argentina.
As Messi seeks to add another remarkable chapter to his legendary career, Mbappé appears to be the natural successor among World Cup goalscorers.
A little further behind are Neymar, Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo, who each have eight World Cup goals.
While all three remain among the most prolific active scorers in international football, they face a much steeper challenge in their pursuit of the all-time record heading into the 2026 tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada and will run from June 11 to July 19.
All-Time World Cup Top Scorers
Player | Country | Goals | Matches | World Cups |
Miroslav Klose | Germany | 16 | 24 | 4 |
Ronaldo Nazário | Brazil | 15 | 19 | 4 |
Gerd Müller | West Germany | 14 | 13 | 2 |
Just Fontaine | France | 13 | 6 | 1 |
Lionel Messi | Argentina | 13 | 26 | 5 |
Kylian Mbappé | France | 12 | 14 | 2 |
Pelé | Brazil | 12 | 14 | 4 |
Source: YEN.com.gh
