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Messi has scored 13 goals in 26 FIFA World Cup matches for Argentina, whereas Mbappé has scored 14 goals in 15 matches for France.
Kylian Mbappe overtakes Lionel Messi in list of players with most goals in FIFA World Cup. (Picture Credit: AP)
Kylian Mbappé was on fire for France in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I opener against Senegal. The 27-year-old played the entire match for the two-time World Cup winners on Tuesday (Wednesday IST) and scored a brace. He opened the scoring for Les Bleus in the 66th minute and added another in the 90+6th minute at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
Mbappé’s brace in France’s first match of this year’s World Cup took his tally to 14 goals in 15 FIFA World Cup matches for France. He now tops the list of players with the most goals for France in the tournament’s history and has also leapfrogged Lionel Messi in the all-time standings.
Messi, who will play his first match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Wednesday morning against Algeria, has 13 goals to his name in 26 matches across five editions for Argentina.
The record for the most goals in FIFA World Cup history belongs to former Germany forward Miroslav Klose. Klose played 24 matches for Germany across four editions (2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014) and scored 16 goals.
Most goals in FIFA World Cup
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM | MATCHES | GOALS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 24 | 16 |
| 2. | Ronaldo | Brazil | 19 | 15 |
| 3. | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 13 | 14 |
| Kylian Mbappé | France | 15 | 14 | |
| 5. | Just Fontaine | France | 6 | 13 |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 26 | 13 | |
| 7. | Pelé | Brazil | 14 | 12 |
| 8. | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 5 | 11 |
| Jürgen Klinsmann | Germany | 17 | 11 |
He is followed by Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário, who played 19 matches for Brazil across four editions (1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006) and scored 15 goals.
On the other hand, the ongoing edition is Mbappé’s third FIFA World Cup for France. He made his World Cup debut in 2018, scoring four goals in seven matches. He won the Silver Ball in the 2018 edition and helped France secure their second World Cup title.
In the 2022 edition, Mbappé scored eight goals in seven matches for France, including a hat-trick against Argentina in the final.
Goals by Kylian Mbappe in FIFA World Cup
| GOAL | AGAINST | VENUE | DATE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peru | Ekaterinburg Arena, Yekaterinburg | June 21, 2018 |
| 2 | Argentina | Kazan Arena, Kazan | June 30, 2018 |
| 3 | Argentina | Kazan Arena, Kazan | June 30, 2018 |
| 4 | Croatia | Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow | July 15, 2018 |
| 5 | Australia | Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah | November 22, 2022 |
| 6 | Denmark | Stadium 974, Doha | November 26, 2022 |
| 7 | Denmark | Stadium 974, Doha | November 26, 2022 |
| 8 | Poland | Al Thumama Stadium, Doha | December 4, 2022 |
| 9 | Poland | Al Thumama Stadium, Doha | December 4, 2022 |
| 10 | Argentina | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 18, 2022 |
| 11 | Argentina | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 18, 2022 |
| 12 | Argentina | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 18, 2022 |
| 13 | Senegal | New York New Jersey Stadium | June 16, 2026 |
| 14 | Senegal | New York New Jersey Stadium | June 16, 2026 |
Former Germany forward Gerd Müller also scored 14 goals in FIFA World Cup history. He played 13 matches for West Germany across the 1970 and 1974 editions, scoring 14 goals.
About the Author
Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist with CNN-News18 since July 1, 2024, and covers cricket with a sharp eye for records, trends, and match analysis. Based in Noida, he has reported extensively on the…Read More
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