Overview
- Miroslav Klose remains the men’s World Cup all‑time top scorer with 16 goals, a record he set across four tournaments from 2002 to 2014.
- Lionel Messi needs three goals to tie Klose and Kylian Mbappé needs four, and both players are on final 26‑man rosters for the tournament that begins Thursday, June 11, 2026.
- The 2026 World Cup expansion from 32 to 48 teams raises the total number of matches and therefore the number of scoring opportunities for top players.
- Historic marks provide context for the chase: Ronaldo has 15 goals, Gerd Müller 14, and Just Fontaine holds the single‑tournament record with 13 goals in 1958.
- Across the previous 22 World Cups there were 964 matches and 2,720 goals, and Brazil leads national totals with 237 World Cup goals, underscoring how tournament format and team schedules shape individual records.