Lionel Messi Breaks All-Time World Cup Scoring Record at 2026 Tournament

Argentina's Lionel Messi has scored more World Cup goals than any player in tournament history. With the 2026 World Cup in full swing, Messi earned his 17th with a strike into the bottom corner of the net during Argentina's match with Austria on Monday, moving past Germany's Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time chart.

Already considered by many as the greatest of all time, Messi is simply adding to his legacy with every dart through an opposing defense. He shredded Algeria for his first World Cup hat trick in the team's opener at this tournament, then broke the record with a classic strike against Austria. This is Messi's sixth World Cup as he looks to follow up the 2022 tournament. Now, it is just a question of how many more he will add to his ledger this tournament.

Will players like Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane or Cristiano Ronaldo climb the list at this World Cup as well? Mbappé in particular has been expected to chase Messi at the top of the chart. There are seven players with 10 World Cup goals, including England's Kane, who hit the mark with a brace in the Three Lions' opening win against Croatia on Wednesday.

World Cup All-Time Top Scorers

Here are the highest-scoring players in the history of FIFA's quadrennial global tournament, counting down from the lower ranks on the featured list toward the new leader at the top.

1. No. 8 (tied): Jürgen Klinsmann, Germany (11) . Klinsmann is probably better known now as a former U.S. and Germany manager, but in his heyday, the forward was a scoring menace. He tallied 11 goals across three World Cups, including in 1990 when Germany the tournament.
2. No. 8 (tied): Sándor Kocsis, Hungary (11) . Kocsis had a national team record of seven hat tricks for Hungary and scored all 11 of his World Cup goals at the 1954 tournament. He had two hat tricks in that World Cup but the Hungarians fell in the final against West Germany.
3. Pelé, Brazil (12) . While many consider him the GOAT, the Brazilian legend needs no introduction. He made his debut at the 1958 World Cup and delivered six goals as a 17-year-old while Brazil it all. He only played in four matches total over the following two World Cups, but Brazil it all again in 1962. To cap off his career, he led his country to another title at the 1970 World Cup for a total of 12 goals.
4. No. 6: Just Fontaine, France (13) . France striker Just Fontaine stands alone in history in terms of goals at a single World Cup. He scored an astonishing 13 goals in six games at Sweden 1958, a record for one World Cup. 'Justo' had a hat trick, two braces, a game-winner, a goal against champion Brazil and a four-goal outing in the third-place playoff game.
5. No. 4 (tied): Gerd Müller, West Germany (14) . Müller is another player whose efficiency has stood the test of time. He only played in two World Cups (1970 and 1974), but delivered 10 goals to win the Golden Boot in the former and added another four goals in his second and final tournament, which West Germany .
6. No. 4 (tied): Kylian Mbappé, France (14) . The French sparkplug has rapidly ascended this list and is expected to chase Lionel Messi at the top of it. He is only 27 years old and has 14 goals in 15 World Cup games. He had four in his debut at the 2018 World Cup when France it all, eight in 2022 when France lost to Argentina in the title game, and he just started off his 2026 campaign with a brace against Senegal.
7. No. 3: Ronaldo, Brazil (15) . Another Brazilian legend, Ronaldo made the World Cup-winning 1994 team but did not see any action. Over the next three tournaments though, Ronaldo went on a tear, scoring four goals in 1998, eight in 2002 when Brazil it all, and then he tacked on another three at his final World Cup in 2006.
8. No. 2: Miroslav Klose, Germany (16) . The name that has been mentioned a lot as Messi and Mbappé pursue history, Klose was best known as a relentless poacher who never missed an opportunity in front of the net. The striker had five goals each in 2002 and 2006. Then he added another four in 2010 and capped off his international career with two more at the 2014 World Cup as Germany hoisted the trophy.
9. No. 1: Lionel Messi, Argentina (17) . Messi entered Monday tied with Klose at 16 career World Cup goals on the featured chart before his strike against Austria made him the outright leader at 17. The Argentinian is adding to his legacy at his sixth World Cup after shredding Algeria for his first World Cup hat trick in the team's opener and breaking the record with a classic strike against Austria as he looks to follow up the 2022 tournament.