Lionel Messi has climbed to the top of the FIFA World Cup’s all-time scoring charts, overtaking Germany’s Miroslav Klose after a blistering start to the 2026 tournament.
The Argentina captain now has 18 World Cup goals from 28 appearances, surpassing Klose’s long-standing record of 16 goals. Messi’s rise to the summit came after a hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening Group J match, followed by a brace in the 2-0 win over Austria that secured qualification for the knockout stage.
The 39-year-old’s latest achievement adds another milestone to a career already filled with records. Across six World Cup appearances, Messi has scored one goal in 2006, four in 2014, one in 2018, seven in 2022 and five so far in 2026.
Klose remains second on the all-time list with 16 goals from four World Cups, while Brazil legend Ronaldo occupies third place with 15 goals. France forward Kylian Mbappe has moved into a share of fourth place on 14 goals, level with Germany great Gerd Muller.
French striker Just Fontaine, whose remarkable tally of 13 goals came in a single tournament in 1958, sits next, followed by Brazil icon Pele with 12.
Among active players, England captain Harry Kane has reached 10 World Cup goals after scoring twice in the ongoing tournament, while Mbappe remains the closest current challenger to Messi’s record.
Messi’s latest goalscoring exploits have also placed him among an elite group of players to score in six consecutive World Cup matches, alongside France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho.
With Argentina already through to the Round of 32 and Messi leading the race for the Golden Boot, the record could yet be extended further before the tournament concludes.
