Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will have the opportunity to move closer to one of the most prestigious records in football when they compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with both stars chasing Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring mark.
Former Germany striker Miroslav Klose remains the tournament’s leading scorer with 16 goals, but Messi and Mbappe are within striking distance ahead of the competition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Messi has scored 13 World Cup goals during his career, while Mbappe has 12, leaving them three and four goals respectively behind Klose’s record.
The two forwards were the standout figures in the dramatic 2022 World Cup final, where Argentina defeated France on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw. Messi scored twice for Argentina, while Mbappe became only the second player in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
For Messi, the 2026 tournament is expected to be his final appearance on football’s biggest stage. The Argentina captain, who will be 39 during the competition, has built his World Cup tally across five tournaments.
His first World Cup goal came during the 2006 tournament in Germany, when he scored against Serbia and Montenegro. He failed to score in South Africa four years later before producing four goals at the 2014 World Cup, helping Argentina reach the final.
Messi added one goal in Russia in 2018 before delivering the most productive World Cup campaign of his career in Qatar in 2022. He scored seven goals, including two in the final, as Argentina secured their third world title.
Mbappe’s rise has been even more remarkable. The France forward has already scored 12 World Cup goals despite appearing in only two editions of the tournament.
The Real Madrid star announced himself on the global stage at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, scoring four goals as France lifted the trophy. Among those goals was a memorable brace against Argentina in the round of 16 and another strike in the final against Croatia.
He followed that performance with an extraordinary campaign at the 2022 World Cup, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals. His tally included two goals against Denmark, two against Poland and a hat-trick in the final against Argentina.
While Messi has one last opportunity to challenge Klose’s record, Mbappe appears well positioned to eventually surpass it. At 27 years old, the French captain could still feature in multiple World Cups beyond 2026.
With Argentina and France expected to be among the favourites for the title once again, both players will have the chance to add to their goal totals and continue their pursuit of one of the game’s most celebrated records.
As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, the race to become the highest-scoring player in World Cup history promises to be one of the tournament’s most compelling storylines.
