Can Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappé become the World Cup’s highest goalscorer?

For more than a decade, Germany legend Miroslav Klose has stood alone at the top of the tournament's all-time goalscoring chart with 16 goals across four World Cups. Now, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, two modern superstars have a realistic opportunity to rewrite history.

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, two of the defining players of their generation, will enter the tournament with Klose's record firmly within reach.

While Argentina icon Messi continues to add to an already unmatched legacy, France captain Mbappé is rapidly becoming one of the most prolific World Cup performers the sport has ever seen.

FIFA World Cup All-Time Top Goalscorers

Before the start of the 2026 tournament, the all-time World Cup goalscoring leaderboard stands as follows:

1. Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals
2. Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15 goals
3. Gerd Müller (Germany) – 14 goals
4. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 13 goals
5. Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals
6. Kylian Mbappé (France) – 12 goals

Messi needs four goals to surpass Klose and become the outright record holder, while Mbappé requires five.

Messi's Long Road to World Cup Glory

The 2026 World Cup is expected to be Lionel Messi's sixth appearance on football's biggest stage.

His journey began in Germany in 2006 when he scored his first World Cup goal against Serbia and Montenegro. Four years later in South Africa, despite arriving as one of the world's best players, he failed to score as Argentina exited in the quarter-finals.

The 2014 World Cup marked Messi's first major scoring breakthrough. He netted four goals during the group stage and carried Argentina to the final, where they fell to Germany.

He added one goal at Russia 2018 before producing the greatest World Cup campaign of his career in Qatar four years later. Messi scored seven times during Argentina's triumphant 2022 campaign, including goals in every knockout round and a memorable brace in the final against France.

Those performances elevated him to 13 World Cup goals and completed the one achievement that had eluded him throughout his career, lifting the World Cup trophy.

Now, the Argentine captain has another historic milestone in sight.

Mbappé's Unstoppable Rise

While Messi's total has been accumulated across five tournaments, Mbappé's numbers are perhaps even more astonishing. The French superstar has scored 12 World Cup goals in just two appearances.

His first tournament in 2018 ended with four goals and a winners' medal as France defeated Croatia in the final. Mbappé became only the second teenager after Pelé to score in a World Cup final.

He elevated his game even further at Qatar 2022. Mbappé scored eight goals during the tournament, winning the Golden Boot and producing one of the greatest World Cup final performances ever seen.

His hat-trick against Argentina made him only the second player in history to score three goals in a World Cup final after England's Geoff Hurst in 1966. At just 27 years old heading into the 2026 tournament, Mbappé appears to have time on his side in the pursuit of Klose's record.

Who has the better chance?

Messi enters the competition needing four goals to claim sole possession of the record.

Historically, he has never scored more than seven goals in a single World Cup, though his 2022 campaign proved he remains capable of dominating at the highest level.

However, concerns remain regarding age and fitness after recent injury setbacks with Inter Miami. Mbappé's challenge looks different.

The French captain has averaged six goals per World Cup and enters the tournament in what should be the peak years of his career. His pace, finishing ability, and role as France's attacking focal point make him arguably the favorite to eventually surpass Klose.

If France makes another deep run in 2026, Mbappé could potentially break the record before the tournament reaches its final stages.

Key Group Stage Fixtures

Argentina

• Argentina vs Algeria – June 16
• Argentina vs Austria – June 22
• Argentina vs Jordan – June 27

France

• France vs Senegal – June 16
• France vs Iraq – June 22
• France vs Norway – June 26

While group-stage goals could significantly boost their chances, history suggests both players are most dangerous when the stakes are highest.

Messi scored four knockout-stage goals during Argentina's title-winning campaign in 2022, while Mbappé's ability to shine in decisive matches has already become legendary.

A record that could define FIFA World Cup 2026

The battle between Argentina and France could extend beyond a potential clash on the field. One of football's greatest-ever players and one of its brightest modern stars are now chasing a piece of history that has stood untouched since 2014.

Whether it is Messi adding one final chapter to an extraordinary career or Mbappé launching himself into a new category of football immortality, the pursuit of Miroslav Klose's record promises to be one of the most compelling stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

By the end of the tournament, football could have a new king of World Cup goals.

SportsLigue