Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe And History: World Cup Record Book Could Be Rewritten In 2026
The FIFA World Cup's all-time goalscoring record has stood untouched for more than a decade. But when the 2026 tournament kicks off across the United States, Canada and Mexico, two of football's biggest stars will have a chance to rewrite history
- Miroslav Klose holds the World Cup all-time scoring record with 16 goals
- Lionel Messi has 13 World Cup goals and needs 4 more to break the record
- Kylian Mbappe has 12 World Cup goals and needs 5 more to claim the record
The FIFA World Cup's all-time goalscoring record has stood untouched for more than a decade. But when the 2026 tournament kicks off across the United States, Canada and Mexico, two of football's biggest stars will have a chance to rewrite history. The number to beat is 16. That is how many World Cup goals Germany's Miroslav Klose scored across four tournaments between 2002 and 2014 - more than any player in history.
WORLD CUP ALL-TIME GOALSCORERS
16 - Miroslav Klose (Germany)
15 - Ronaldo Nazario (Brazil)
13 - Lionel Messi (Argentina)
12 - Kylian Mbappe (France)
11 - Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany)
10 - Helmut Rahn (Germany)
Just three goals separate Messi and Mbappe (5) from equalizing football's most coveted World Cup scoring record.
At 39, Messi enters the tournament with 13 World Cup goals and needs four more to surpass Klose outright.
Mbappe, meanwhile, has already scored 12 World Cup goals despite playing in only two editions of the tournament. The French superstar needs five goals to claim the record for himself.
BY THE NUMBERS
Lionel Messi
World Cup Goals: 13
World Cup matches: 26
World Cup Title: 1
Needs 4 goals for the record
Kylian Mbappe
World Cup Goals: 12
World Cup Matches: 14
World Cup Title: 1
Needs 5 goals for the record
The expanded 2026 World Cup could help both players. For the first time in history, 48 teams will compete in a tournament featuring 104 matches - up from 64 games in previous editions.
That means finalists could potentially play more matches than ever before, creating additional opportunities for goals and records.
The World Cup last expanded for the 1998 tournament held in France, with the last seven editions featuring 32 teams and 64 games.
WORLD CUP 2026 IN NUMBERS
48 Teams
104 Matches
3 Host Nations (United States, Canada and Mexico)
1 All-time scoring record under threat
If Messi reaches the semifinals and produces another vintage run, Klose's mark could finally fall. If Mbappe catches fire, the Frenchman could leave North America as the greatest World Cup goalscorer football has ever seen.
One thing is certain: when the World Cup begins, the race to 16 may be as compelling as the race for the trophy itself.
Ahead of the opening game of the FIFA World Cup 2026 between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, several global and Latin American music artists will entertain the audience during the first opening ceremony of the tournament, at the Mexico City Stadium.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday, June 12 (IST)
Argentina
Lionel Messi
France