sports
All-time greatest: who is the highest goalscorer in World Cup history?
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are vying to become not just 2026 World Cup winners but also the greatest goalscorers in the history of the tournament. Here’s how they compare with others on the all-time list
TL;DR
- Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are in contention for the record of greatest World Cup goalscorer.
- Messi scored a hat-trick in the 2026 World Cup opener, reaching 16 career World Cup goals, tying Miroslav Klose's record.
- Kylian Mbappé scored twice in France's first match, bringing his World Cup total to 14 goals.
- The article references a list of the top 20 World Cup goalscorers, with ties broken by fewer appearances.