The all-time highest goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history is Germany’s Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 goals across four consecutive tournaments between 2002 and 2014.
Because multiple legendary football players are tied at the bottom of the top rankings, the absolute list of players with 10 or more goals expands past 10 individuals. Here is the official breakdown of the top goal scorers in men’s World Cup history:
| Rank | Player | National Team | Goals Scored | Matches Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 16 | 24 |
| 2 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 15 | 19 |
| 3 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 14 | 13 |
| 4 | Just Fontaine | France | 13 | 6 (all in 1958) |
| 5 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 13 | 26 |
| 6 | Pelé | Brazil | 12 | 14 |
| 7 | Kylian Mbappé | France | 12 | 14 |
| 8 | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 11 | 5 |
| 9 | Jürgen Klinsmann | Germany | 11 | 17 |
| 10 | Helmut Rahn | West Germany | 10 | 10 |
| 11 | Gary Lineker | England | 10 | 12 |
| 12 | Gabriel Batistuta | Argentina | 10 | 12 |
| 13 | Teófilo Cubillas | Peru | 10 | 13 |
| 14 | Thomas Müller | Germany | 10 | 19 |
| 15 | Grzegorz Lato | Poland | 10 | 20 |
Notable World Cup Scoring Records
- Most Goals in a Single Tournament: France’s Just Fontaine holds the mind-boggling record of scoring all 13 of his goals in a single tournament (Sweden 1958).
- Highest Efficiency: Sándor Kocsis boasts the highest goals-per-game ratio of the modern era, averaging an astonishing 2.2 goals per match.
- Active Challengers: Both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé remain active and are the closest threats to Klose’s all-time record.
