FIFA World Cup tournaments across different eras have a rich history when it comes to the top goalscorers. Some players were able to put themselves on the global map through their performances, while the already established players attained legendary status. Based on the available statistical record, we will enlighten our avid readers about the footballers with the most goals in World Cup. The dataset considers only goals scored during officially sanctioned FIFA-organised World Cup matches played at the tournament itself. As of the last world up, which was hosted in Qatar, the leaderboard was topped by one of the greatest German footballers, Miroslav Klose, followed by football legends like Robert Lewandowski & Gerd Muller.
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Top 10 Football Players with Most Goals in World Cup
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Goals from qualification campaigns, friendly internationals, continental championships or other FIFA events are not part of this record. Scoring actions registered in normal playing time and extra time are included, while penalty shootouts are excluded in accordance with standard match recording conventions.
The statistic measures total goals achieved by a player across their World Cup career, without normalising figures for appearances, minutes played, or number of tournaments contested. Structural changes such as expansion of the tournament, variation in match totals, and differences in playing style across eras remain embedded in the data rather than corrected.
List of Players with Most Goals in World Cup
| Rank | Player | Nation | Goals | Matches | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 16 | 24 | 2002–2014 |
| 2 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 15 | 19 | 1998–2006 |
| 3 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 14 | 13 | 1970–1974 |
| 4 | Just Fontaine | France | 13 | 6 | 1958 |
| 5 | Lionel Messi* | Argentina | 13 | 26 | 2006–Present |
| 6 | Kylian Mbappé* | France | 12 | 14 | 2018–Present |
| 7 | Pelé | Brazil | 12 | 14 | 1958–1970 |
| 8 | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 11 | 5 | 1954 |
| 9 | Jürgen Klinsmann | Germany | 11 | 17 | 1990–1998 |
| 10 | Thomas Müller | Germany | 10 | 19 | 2010–2022 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are qualification goals included in the World Cup goal record?
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Are qualification goals included in the World Cup goal record?
No! This statistic includes goals scored only during the FIFA World Cup finals tournament. Goals from qualification matches, friendlies, or other international competitions are excluded.
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