Klose’s legendary mark in World Cup history could be surpassed by Messi and Mbappé with more games
Former striker Miroslav Klose, world champion with Germany in 2014, said goodbye to the field a decade ago, but his name remains immortalized as the World Cup’s top scorer. With a total of 16 goals, this historic feat is now at considerable risk. Two of today’s biggest stars, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, are approaching the mark and could surpass the German idol.
Both stars begin their campaigns this Tuesday (16) with the debut of their teams in the tournament. Argentine star Lionel Messi, winner of the 2022 World Cup, has 13 goals scored in World Cups on his resume. Meanwhile, French striker Kylian Mbappé, who lifted the cup in 2018, has 12 goals recorded in the competition.
The expectation of the football world is that the duo will at least be able to close the gap on Klose’s record. This projection is reinforced by the structure of the 2026 World Cup, which will feature a greater number of matches. From the next edition onwards, the path to glory will include eight games until the final, one more than the seven previously played, which increases the chances of the top scorers increasing their scores.
In a statement to the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, Miroslav Klose did not show discomfort with the possibility of being surpassed in the ranking of top scorers in the World Cup. The former player even wished luck to the Argentine and French teams, emphasizing that he would be happy to see Messi take his place and praising the number 10’s genius. “I hope my record is broken in this tournament. With more teams, there are more matches and therefore more opportunities to score goals. I hope Argentina and France go far. That’s ok, the record will be broken anyway, and Messi is welcome to do it. I’m a big fan of Messi, always have been. He’s a genius”, Klose said.
The legendary Klose scored his 16 goals in 24 World Cup matches, spread over four editions. Messi, in turn, reached 13 goals in 26 games, played in five World Cups, and will have the opportunity to increase this mark. However, Mbappé stands out for his impressive efficiency, scoring 12 goals in just 14 matches. The young Frenchman debuted at the tournament in 2018 and is about to compete in his third appearance in the competition.
Leia Também
Messi reaches 19 goals in FIFA World Cups with great free kick for Argentina in clash with Jordan
Cristiano Ronaldo shines beyond the pitch at the 2026 World Cup with business empire and family luxury
At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo reaffirms his historic legacy and prepares to shine in the 2026 World Cup
With Messi’s imminent departure from the World Cup this year, he will need an extraordinary performance with Argentina to try to stay at the top of the rankings, at least for one World Cup cycle. Mbappé, at 27 years old, is not only a strong candidate to surpass him in this edition, but he also has the possibility of competing, with great potential, in two or even three more editions of the tournament, consolidating himself among the greatest scorers in history.
The top scorers in the history of World Cups
- Miroslav Klose (Germany): 16 goals in World Cups
- Ronaldo Fenômeno (Brazil): 15 goals in the competition
- Gerd Müller (Germany): 14 goals in World Cups
- Just Fontaine (France) and Lionel Messi (Argentina): 13 goals each
- Pelé (Brazil) and Kylian Mbappé (France): 12 goals each
Forwards Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi shared the field at Paris Saint-Germain in recent seasons, before becoming direct rivals in the pursuit of a historic feat.
