The top seven goalscorers in World Cup history

• Ladbrokes explores each of the top seven goalscorers in World Cup history

• Miroslav Klose currently tops the goalscoring charts, with 16 World Cup goals

• Lionel Messi needs just four goals at the 2026 World Cup to break the record

Scoring once at a World Cup is every player's dream - but how about scoring a record-breaking 16 times? Here, Ladbrokes outlines the top seven goalscorers in World Cup history.

From superstars of the past to modern-day favourites, this list contains some of football's most recognisable names, and remains one of the most prestigious records in the sport - so read on to see who takes pride of place at the top of football's World Cup goalscoring charts.

Kicking off with a real bang, the first of our seven names is Pele, one of the greatest goalscorers - and arguably one of the greatest players - to ever play the game, with the Brazilian icon bagging 12 World Cup goals across four tournaments.

Pele remains the youngest player to ever win the World Cup, with the forward lifting the trophy in 1958 at the age of just 17 years and 249 days, scoring six goals along the way - including two in the final - and coming second in the Golden Boot race to another name on this list!

Six more goals across the next three tournaments firmly secured Pele's place inside the top World Cup goalscorers of all time, and his name will stay synonymous with international football for generations to come.

With 12 World Cup goals to his name already, it wouldn't surprise many people to see Kylian Mbappe top this list by the end of his career - and as favourite for the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot, the Frenchman is likely to have added a few more to his tally by the end of this summer.

A goal in the 2018 final really announced Mbappe's arrival on the global stage, bagging in France's 4-2 win over Croatia to become the youngest player to score in a World Cup final since Pele, and he followed that up in 2022 by becoming just the second player to score a hattrick in the World Cup final - after England's Geoff Hurst in 1966.

Now captain of France and a Ballon d'Or contender every season, Mbappe has earned his label as one of the world's very best, and continues to score goals at a frightening rate for both club and country.

From one French icon to another, Just Fontaine holds a simply remarkable World Cup record, with every one of his 13 goals coming in the 1958 tournament as France reached the semi-finals in Sweden.

The striker only played six games, but scored at least once in every single match - with two hattricks thrown in for good measure - and cemented his name in the record books with a single-tournament haul that seems almost impossible to beat.

Fontaine's career was cut pretty short by injury, so he was never given the chance to add to his tally, but his 1958 exploits were enough to ensure his World Cup legacy lives on.

Victory over France in the 2022 World Cup final was the icing on the cake for Lionel Messi, with a career-defining brace taking his World Cup tally to 13 goals - and he remains a key reason why Argentina are fancied to have another impressive tournament this year.

Arguably football's greatest ever player, it's no surprise to see his name high up this list, with the former Barcelona man also currently holding the record for the most World Cup matches played (26) - a record that will likely only be extended further in his sixth tournament this summer.

As well as being one of football's greatest-ever goalscorers, Messi is renowned for being the sport's most effective creator, with the diminutive Argentine also being the only player in history to assist a goal at five separate World Cups. He's also the only man to score at a World Cup in his teens, 20s, and 30s, so wherever Lionel Messi goes, goals follow.

Turning our attention to the top three goalscorers in World Cup history, it's West Germany's Gerd Muller taking bronze (for now) with a staggering 14 goals - scored across just two tournaments (1970 and 1974).

14 goals in 13 matches mean Muller is the second player on this list to average more than a goal a game at the World Cup finals, and the marksman picked up a deserved World Cup winners' medal in 1974, scoring the winner in the final.

The 1970 tournament was actually more successful on an individual level, with Muller's 10 goals seeing him claim the Golden Boot - and subsequently, the Ballon d'Or. The striker's ridiculous goalscoring record throughout his career has ensured his name remains massively respected, with the Bayern Munich legend also one of only 10 players in history to win the World Cup, the Ballon d'Or, and the Champions League.

Ronaldo has one of the World Cup's most incredible stories, with the Brazilian scoring twice in the 2002 final to win his country their fifth World Cup - four years after suffering a pre-match convulsive fit as Brazil prepared to face France in the 1998 final.

Ronaldo still picked up the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player that year, and added to his trophy haul in 2002 with a Golden Boot and a Ballon d'Or - which went some way towards making up for 1998's disappointment.

Known all over the world as one of the game's best-ever strikers, Ronaldo will always be remembered for his ruthless finishing, his bamboozling body feints, and his eye-catching World Cup performances.

Leading the way as the top goalscorer in World Cup history is Germany's Miroslav Klose, and while his name doesn't necessarily carry the weight of others in this list, his international record - particularly at major tournaments - is up there with football's very best.

The only man to win four consecutive World Cup medals (silver, bronze, bronze, gold), Miroslav Klose also holds the record as Germany's all-time top goalscorer, ahead of the likes of Gerd Muller, Lukas Podolski, and Rudi Voller.

Germany's World Cup win in 2014 really crowned Klose's footballing career, adding to the striker's 2006 Golden Boot and ensuring he lifted the trophy as the most prolific goalscorer in World Cup history.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, also take a look at our complete World Cup schedule, or check out our detailed World Cup betting guide.

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All odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.

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