Star Lionel Messi achieved an impressive feat at the World Cup, finding the net for the 17th time, reaching the legendary mark set by Brazilian Marta. The decisive goal was scored in an electrifying match against Austria, which definitively places him among the greatest scorers in the history of the tournament.
With this new goal, the Argentine captain surpassed the 16 goals of Miroslav Klose, a former German striker who held the men’s record since 2014. Messi now leads the men’s list alone, further solidifying his legacy in world football.
By reaching 17 goals, Messi not only surpassed the men’s record, but also equaled the absolute mark of Marta, the greatest scorer of all World Cups, including women’s editions. The “Queen of Football” established this number seven years ago, during a campaign that took the women’s team to the round of 16, consolidating a legacy of remarkable consistency and longevity in several editions of the competitive scene.
The Brazilian athlete, a football icon, stands out as one of Brazil’s three representatives on the select list of the greatest scorers of all time, positioning herself ahead of names like Ronaldo and Pelé in the general list of goals in World Cups.
Interestingly, Lionel Messi and Marta are some of the few athletes who are still active in the current top scorer rankings. The list also includes the young Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, aged 27, who is already seen as a strong competitor for the top of the artillery list in the coming years.
Mbappé began his participation in the current World Cup by scoring two goals, which took his total to 14. He is now three goals away from reaching Messi and Marta’s combined record, and three behind Messi himself.
The biggest scorers in world cups: comparison between women’s and men’s editions
Below, the list details the athletes who stood out most in the World Cups, with their respective countries, number of games, goals and editions played:
- Marta, Brazil, 23 games, 17 goals (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023)
- Lionel Messi, Argentina, 27 games, 17 goals (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
- Miroslav Klose, Germany, 24 games, 16 goals (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)
- Ronaldo, Brazil, 19 games, 15 goals (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006)
- Gerd Müller, West Germany, 13 games, 14 goals (1970, 1974)
- Kylian Mbappé, France, 15 games, 14 goals (2018, 2022, 2026)
- Birgit Prinz, Germany, 24 games, 14 goals (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011)
- Abby Wambach, United States, 25 games, 14 goals (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015)
- Just Fontaine, France, 6 games, 13 goals (1958)
- Michelle Akers, United States, 13 games, 12 goals (1991, 1995, 1999)
- Pelé, Brazil, 14 games, 12 goals (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970)