Mbappé Becomes FIFA World Cup’s All-Time Leading Goalscorer After 2026 Tournament

Kylian Mbappé has become the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer, surpassing Lionel Messi after finishing the 2026 tournament with 22 career World Cup goals.

The France captain and Real Madrid forward achieved the historic milestone following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, according to FIFA’s updated all-time scoring rankings released on Sunday.

Mbappé now tops the list with 22 goals in 22 World Cup appearances, overtaking Argentina legend Lionel Messi, who ended his World Cup career with 21 goals in 34 matches across six editions of the tournament.

The 27-year-old’s remarkable scoring rate has seen him eclipse several football icons, including former Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who held the outright World Cup scoring record for more than a decade with 16 goals.

Mbappé Overtakes Messi and Klose

Mbappé’s rise to the summit of the World Cup scoring chart highlights his extraordinary consistency on football’s biggest stage.

Messi, who guided Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, concludes his World Cup journey as the second-highest scorer in tournament history with 21 goals.

Klose, Germany’s all-time leading scorer, now occupies third place with 16 goals from 24 World Cup appearances.

Brazil legend Ronaldo sits fourth with 15 goals in 19 matches, while Germany great Gerd Müller and England captain Harry Kane share fifth place with 14 goals each.

Müller reached the milestone in just 13 World Cup matches, whereas Kane required 18 appearances.

Fontaine, Pelé and Ronaldo Among Football’s Greatest

France’s Just Fontaine remains one of the tournament’s most prolific scorers, netting 13 goals in only six matches during the 1958 FIFA World Cup—a record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup edition.

Brazil icon Pelé ranks eighth with 12 goals in 14 appearances.

Germany’s Jürgen Klinsmann, Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis and Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo are tied on 11 World Cup goals.

Klinsmann scored his goals in 17 matches, Kocsis achieved the feat in just five games, while Cristiano Ronaldo concluded his World Cup career with 11 goals in 27 appearances.

FIFA World Cup All-Time Leading Goalscorers

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 11 goals in 27 matches

Kylian Mbappé (France) – 22 goals in 22 matches

Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 21 goals in 34 matches

Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals in 24 matches

Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15 goals in 19 matches

Gerd Müller (Germany) – 14 goals in 13 matches

Harry Kane (England) – 14 goals in 18 matches

Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals in six matches

Pelé (Brazil) – 12 goals in 14 matches

Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany) – 11 goals in 17 matches

Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) – 11 goals in five matches

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