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Top Goal Scorers in FIFA World Cup History (1930-2022)

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1. Miroslav Klose

Birthdate: June 9, 1978 (44)

Birthplace: Opole, Poland

International career: (2001–2014)

German striker Miroslav Klose scored 16 times in 24 total appearances at the World Cup, more than any other player in the competition’s history. In addition to Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Pelé, no other players have scored in as many as four World Cup finals.

Klose scored a hat trick in Germany’s 8–0 victory against Saudi Arabia at the Sapporo Dome in his first World Cup appearance in 2002. The event was held in Japan and South Korea. Thirteen other players scored a hat trick in their first World Cup appearance; however, no one has done so since Klose on June 14, 2002.

However, he didn’t score in any of his four knockout games, and Germany lost the championship game to Brazil, who scored the most goals in the tournament thanks to Ronaldo’s eight goals.

During the 2006 World Cup, held in Germany, the German striker scored five times, earning him the tournament’s Golden Boot for his efforts. The following four goals came in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and the final two came in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, surpassing Ronaldo’s total of 15 goals. The crucial 16th goal was scored in front of Ronaldo, who was in attendance in Belo Horizonte to watch Brazil’s emphatic 7-1 loss to Germany.

Scored 11 of his World Cup goals in the group stage but only 5 in the elimination round. He never scored in either of the two World Cup finals he appeared in (2002 and 2014).

He scored 16 goals in four World Cup appearances, yet he only took 63 shots. This is an incredible conversion rate of 25.4%.

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
2002 Germany 11 Forward 7 7 0 0 5 0.71 1 0 5 1 1 2
2006 Germany 11 Forward 7 7 0 0 5 0.71 0 0 5 1 1 3
2010 Germany 11 Forward 5 5 0 2 4 0.80 0 1 3 0 2 3
2014 Germany 11 Forward 5 3 0 2 2 0.40 0 0 4 1 0 1
Totals:
24 22 0 4 16 0.67 1 1 17 3 4

Note: DNP = Did Not Play / W = Wins / D = Draws / L = Losses
Final Standing = His National Team’s final standing in that World Cup

 

2. Ronaldo

Birthdate: 18 September 1976 (46)

Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

International career : (1994–2011)

Even though Ronaldo is no longer the all-time World Cup-leading goalscorer, his impressive total of 15 goals in just 19 games over three tournaments is still something to admire.

He made his first World Cup participation in 1998 in France, and he ended up scoring four goals in seven total matches. Ronaldo has strangely left off the first Brazilian starting lineup, but he was on the second one, which came out a few minutes later. Unfortunately, his team went on to lose the final 3-0 to the host country of France.

With less controversy surrounding his 2002 World Cup attendance, he won the Golden Boot after scoring eight goals in seven games. Two goals came in the decisive 2-0 victory against Germany in Yokohama.

The most astonishing part of Ronaldo’s 2002 exploits was that he missed Brazil’s entire qualification campaign for the 2002 World Cup due to a cruciate ligament injury two years before the finals.

Ronaldo finished as the 2006 World Cup’s CONMEBOL’s top scorer with ten goals, but his fitness and health were questioned leading up to the event. However, with 15 goals in World Cup final events, he broke Gerd Müller’s record that had existed since 1974. He scored three in Brazil’s last five games before being eliminated by host Germany in the quarterfinals (14 goals).

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1994 Brazil 20 Forward 0 0 0 7 0 0.00 0 0 0 0 0 1
1998 Brazil 9 Forward 7 7 0 0 4 0.57 0 0 4 1 2 2
2002 Brazil 9 Forward 7 7 0 0 8 1.14 0 0 7 0 0 1
2006 Brazil 9 Forward 5 5 0 0 3 0.60 2 0 4 0 1 5
Totals:
19 19 0 7 15 0.79 2 0 15 1 3

 

 

3. Gerd Müller

Date of birth: 3 November 1945

Place of birth: Nördlingen, Germany

International career : (1966–1974)

Date of death: 15 August 2021 (aged 75)

Gerd Müller scored 14 goals in just two World Cups. He won the Golden Boot for scoring ten goals in the 1970 World Cup, which is one of only three times a player has scored more than ten goals in a single World Cup. In fact, in the last 15 men’s World Cup finals, no player has scored as many goals as Müller did in 1970.

In Mexico in 1970, he scored hat-tricks in back-to-back games against Bulgaria and Peru, only three days apart. In 1954, Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis was the only other player to score a hat-trick in both of his World Cup games (also over four days).

Müller scored in every game of the 1970 World Cup up until the semifinal loss to Italy (two goals), but he didn’t score against Uruguay in the third/fourth place game. He scored the game-winning goal in the final, a 2-1 win over the Netherlands in front of his fans at the Munich Olympiastadion.

He held the record for most goals scored in the World Cup for 32 years until Brazil’s Ronaldo surpassed him in 2006. All 14 of his World Cup goals were cut inside the penalty box, and seven were scored inside the six-yard box.

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1970 West Germany 13 Forward 6 6 0 0 10 1.67 2 0 5 0 1 3
1974 West Germany 13 Forward 7 7 0 0 4 0.57 0 0 6 0 1 1
Totals:
13 13 0 0 14 1.08 2 0 11 0 2

 

4. Just Fontaine

Date of birth: August 18, 1933 (age 89)

Place of birth:  Marrakech, Morocco

International career : (1953–1960)

Just Fontaine, a French striker, set a new record at the 1958 World Cup by scoring 13 goals in six matches. These were the most goals ever scored in a single World Cup. He only went to the World Cup once, but it was a good one.

His 13 goals at the 1958 tournament in Sweden were more than twice as much as Pelé and Helmut Rahn’s combined total of six goals for the tournament’s runners-up.

The French striker scored a hat trick against Paraguay and four more goals versus Germany in the 1958 World Cup, making him one of just three players to achieve at least three goals in two consecutive matches at a World Cup finals event, together with Sándor Kocsis (1954) and Gerd Müller (1970).

In 1958, he led France to a third-place finish despite scoring 17 of his team’s 23 goals (57 percent). However, France ultimately lost the tournament to eventual champions Brazil in the semifinals.

Due to injuries, Fontaine had to retire at the young age of 28 in 1962, robbing the World Cup of the opportunity to witness one of its best scorers in more than one event.

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1958 France 17 Forward 6 6 0 0 13 2.17 0 0 4 0 2 3
Totals:
6 6 0 0 13 2.17 0 0 4 0 2

 

5. Lionel Messi

Date of birth: June 24, 1987 (35)

Place of birth: Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina

International career : (2005 –     )

Messi came the closest to winning the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 2014 when Argentina lost to Germany in the final despite Messi scoring four goals in seven games. He ultimately won the trophy in 2022 following a penalty shootout triumph against France.

Messi was particularly frustrated at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa when he failed to score a single goal as Argentina was eliminated in the quarterfinals. He also scored a single goal at the 2006 and 2018 tournaments.

Barca’s all-time leading scorer is a regular in the Champions League and thrives under pressure, but he had never scored in a World Cup match after the Round of 16.

Until the 2022 event, he had never scored a goal at a major tournament. He scored the first goal in a match against Australia.

Messi’s next two goals came from the penalty spot; he scored one in the quarterfinal against the Netherlands and then scored again from 12 yards out in the shootout, and he scored the game-winning penalty in the semi against Croatia.

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
2006 Argentina 19 Forward 3 1 0 2 1 0.33 0 0 2 1 0 6
2010 Argentina 10 Forward 5 5 1 0 0 0.00 0 0 4 0 1 5
2014 Argentina 10 Forward 7 7 7 0 4 0.57 0 0 5 1 1 2
2018 Argentina 10 Forward 4 4 4 0 1 0.25 1 0 1 1 2 16
2022 Argentina 10 Forward 7 7 7 0 7 1.00 1 0 4 2 1 1
Totals:
26 24 19 2 13 0.50 2 0 16 5 5

 

6. Kylian Mbappé

Date of birth: December 20, 1998 (24)

Place of birth: Paris, France

International career : (2017 – )

Kylian Mbappé demonstrated in 2018 to supporters who have not been paying attention for the past three years that he is as talented as his potential promised. The 23-year-old scored several goals to lead France to its second consecutive participation in the World Cup Final.

Mbappé showed over seven games that he could score with finesse and grit when his side needed it most. While he did not leave Qatar with a gold medal, he provided great fun on the pitch during the month.

He scored eight goals in Qatar to earn the Golden Boot, given to the World Cup’s top goal scorer. His eight goals were the highest since Ronaldo scored eight goals for Brazil in 2002.

He began with three goals in the elimination round, but the 23-year-old found his groove in the Knockout Round. A pair of goals against Poland in the game of 16 got him level with Lionel Messi and set the scene for the championship match. Messi scored a brace of goals in the championship match and was ultimately declared the winner, but Mbappé’s hat trick earned him the Golden Boot.

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
2018 France 10 Forward 7 6 0 0 4 0.57 2 0 6 1 0 1
2022 France 10 Forward 7 6 0 0 8 1.14 0 0 5 1 1 2
Totals:
14 12 0 0 12 0.86 2 0 11 2 1

 

7. Pelé

Date of birth: October 3, 1940

Place of birth: Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil

International career : (1957–1971)

Date of death: December 29, 2022 (aged 82)

In his four World Cup appearances, Pelé scored 12 goals, putting him in seventh place for all-time World Cup scoring. While Pelé never took home the Golden Boot, he did earn the World Cup’s Best Player award in 1970 after contributing four goals and six assists to Brazil’s championship run. This was the first of three World Cup titles for Pelé.

Pelé, aged 17 years and 249 days old when he scored against Sweden in the 1958 World Cup final, holds the record for being the youngest player to ever-play in the FIFA World Cup final.

Ten days before 1958 final, at 17 and 239 days, he set a record as the youngest scorer in the FIFA World Cup by scoring against Wales. Then, on June 24, 1958, against France, he set another record by becoming the youngest player to score a hat trick at a FIFA World Cup.

Pelé’s contributions went beyond the field as well. Compared to other players, since detailed statistics were first kept in 1966, the Brazilian legend’s six assists in the 1970 World Cup were the most recorded by a single player.

Pelé still keeps the record for the top goals scored by a Brazilian male in an international football game with 77. However, Neymar is only three goals away from matching this mark for the Seleco (74).

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1958 Brazil 10 Forward 4 4 0 2 6 1.50 0 0 4 0 0 1
1962 Brazil 10 Forward 2 2 0 4 1 0.50 0 0 1 1 0 1
1966 Brazil 10 Forward 2 2 0 1 1 0.50 0 0 1 0 1 11
1970 Brazil 10 Forward 6 6 0 0 4 0.67 0 0 6 0 0 1
Totals:
14 14 0 7 12 0.86 0 0 12 1 1

 

8. Jürgen Klinsmann

Date of birth: July 30, 1964 (age 58)

Place of birth: Göppingen, West Germany

International career : (1987–1998)

Klinsmann played for Germany from 1987 to 1998 and scored 11 goals in 17 games. The German striker participated in three FIFA World Cup tournaments, scoring three goals in 1990, five in 1994, and three in 1998. He won the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1990 Germany 18 Forward 7 7 0 0 3 0.43 1 0 5 2 0 1
1994 Germany 18 Forward 5 5 0 0 5 1.00 2 0 3 1 1 5
1998 Germany 18 Forward 5 5 5 0 3 0.60 1 0 3 1 1 7
Totals:
17 17 5 0 11 0.65 4 0 11 4 2

 

9. Sándor Kocsis

Date of birth: September 21, 1929

Place of birth: Budapest, Hungary

International career : (1948–1956)

Date of death: July 22, 1979 (aged 49)

Sandor Kocsis, a legendary player from Hungary, and Jürgen Klinsmann of Germany scored 11 goals in the finals. However, Kocsis scored all 11 goals in one game, which was a surprise.

Sandor Kocsis played for Hungary from 1948 until 1956. He played in only one FIFA match, in 1954, yet he racked up 11 goals (including two hat tricks) for the winning team. The renowned Hungarian player took the Golden Boot from the FIFA World Cup in 1954.

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1954 Hungary 8 Forward 5 5 0 0 11 2.20 0 0 4 0 1 2
Totals:
5 5 0 0 11 2.20 0 0 4 0 1

 

10. Gabriel Batistuta

Born Date: February 1, 1969

Place of birth: Reconquista, Santa Fe, Argentina

International career : (1991–2002)

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

Edition

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1994 Argentina 9 Forward 4 4 0 0 4 1.00 1 0 2 0 2 10
1998 Argentina 9 Forward 5 5 1 0 5 1.00 0 0 3 1 1 6
2002 Argentina 9 Forward 3 3 1 0 1 0.33 1 0 1 1 1 18
Totals:
12 12 2 0 10 0.83 2 0 6 2 4

11. Teófilo Cubillas

Date of birth: 8 March 1949 (age 73)

Place of birth: LimaLima Province, Peru

International career : (1968–1982)

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1970 Peru 10 Forward 4 4 0 0 5 1.25 0 0 2 0 2 7
1978 Peru 10 Forward 6 6 0 0 5 0.83 0 0 2 1 3 8
1982 Peru 10 Midfielder 3 3 0 0 0 0.00 0 0 0 2 1 20
Totals:
13 13 0 0 10 0.77 0 0 4 3 6

12. Grzegorz Lato

Date of birth: 8 April 1950 (age 72)

Place of birth: Malbork, Poland

International career : (1971–1984)

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1974 Poland 16 Forward 7 7 0 0 7 1.00 0 0 6 0 1 3
1978 Poland 16 Forward 6 6 0 0 2 0.33 0 0 3 1 2 5
1982 Poland 16 Forward 7 7 0 0 1 0.14 0 0 3 3 1 3
Totals:
20 20 0 0 10 0.50 0 0 12 4 4

13. Gary Lineker

Date of birth: 30 November 1960 (age 62)

Place of birth: Leicester, England

International career : (1984–1992)

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1986 England 10 Forward 5 5 0 0 6 1.20 0 0 2 1 2 8
1990 England 10 Forward 7 7 0 0 4 0.57 0 0 3 3 1 4
Totals:
12 12 0 0 10 0.83 0 0 5 4 3

14. Thomas Müller

Date of birth: 13 September 1989 (33)

Place of birth: Weilheim in Oberbayern, West Germany

International career : (2010 –    )

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
2010 Germany 13 Midfielder 6 6 0 1 5 0.83 2 0 5 0 1 3
2014 Germany 13 Forward 7 7 0 0 5 0.71 0 0 6 1 0 1
2018 Germany 13 Midfielder 3 2 0 0 0 0.00 1 0 1 0 2 22
2022 Germany 13 Midfielder 3 3 0 0 0 0.00 0 0 1 1 1 17
Totals:
19 18 0 1 10 0.53 3 0 13 2 4

15. Helmut Rahn

Date of birth: 16 August 1929

Place of birth: Essen, Germany

International career : (1951–1960)

Performance by World Cup Tournaments:

World Cup

Jersey

Position Played Starter Captain DNP Goals Goal Average Cards W D L Final Standing
Yellow Red
1954 West Germany 12 Forward 4 4 0 2 4 1.00 0 0 3 0 1 1
1958 West Germany 8 Forward 6 6 0 0 6 1.00 0 0 2 2 2 4
Totals:
10 10 0 2 10 1.00 0 0 5 2 3

 

 

 

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