By Perez Karisa, June 23, 2026
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi may be regarded as one of football’s greatest players, but he does not hold the record for the highest number of goals scored in FIFA World Cup history.
The all-time World Cup scoring record remains in the hands of former Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 goals across four tournaments between 2002 and 2014.
Messi, whose glittering international career culminated in Argentina’s triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, finished with 13 goals in World Cup competition, placing him among the top scorers in the tournament’s history.
His tally surpassed the previous Argentine record of 10 goals held by legendary striker Gabriel Batistuta, making Messi Argentina’s highest scorer in World Cup history.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner scored in every knockout stage match during the 2022 tournament and captained Argentina to their third world title, cementing his place among football’s immortals.
Despite falling short of Klose’s record, Messi shares fourth place on the all-time World Cup scoring chart with French forward Just Fontaine, who remarkably scored 13 goals in a single tournament during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
Former Brazilian striker Ronaldo Nazário occupies second place with 15 goals scored between 1998 and 2006, while German legend Gerd Müller sits third with 14 goals, all scored during the 1970 and 1974 editions.
All-Time FIFA World Cup Top Scorers
- Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals
- Ronaldo Nazário (Brazil) – 15 goals
- Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 14 goals
- Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 13 goals
Messi’s World Cup exploits, combined with his triumph in Qatar and numerous individual accolades, have strengthened his status as one of the greatest footballers ever to grace the sport, even as Klose continues to hold the prestigious record for the most goals scored in World Cup history.
