FIFA World Cup: Top 5 Highest Goalscorers of All Time

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to begin on June 11, 2026 with an extended format featuring 48 teams for the first time in the tournament’s history.

The FIFA World Cup has witnessed some of football’s greatest goalscorers, but no player has found the net more often on the sport’s biggest stage than Germany’s Miroslav Klose.

Miroslav Klose

Klose remains the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 16 goals across four tournaments from 2002 to 2014. The German striker surpassed Brazil legend Ronaldo during the 2014 World Cup and has held the record ever since.

Ronaldo, one of Brazil’s most celebrated forwards, sits second on the all-time list with 15 World Cup goals. His performances helped Brazil win the 2002 World Cup, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals.

Gerd Muller

Germany’s Gerd Muller occupies third place with 14 goals. Müller was instrumental in West Germany’s triumph at the 1974 World Cup and was widely regarded as one of football’s most clinical finishers.

Just Fontaine

In fourth place is France’s Just Fontaine, whose remarkable tally of 13 goals came in a single tournament at the 1958 World Cup. Fontaine’s record for most goals in one World Cup remains unmatched more than six decades later.

Lionel Messi

Argentina captain Lionel Messi rounds out the top five with 13 World Cup goals. Messi led Argentina to 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar, where he lifted the trophy for the first time and cemented his place among football’s all-time greats.