The most goals scored in a single season for club and country this century | OneFootball

Harry Kane scored his 73rd goal of a phenomenal campaign for club and country as England beat Mexico to reach the World Cup quarter-finals at the weekend.

Kane has scored six times at this summer's tournament, to join Kylian Mbappe,Lionel Messi, and Erling Haaland in a World Cup Golden Boot race for the ages.

The 32-year-old is aiming to add the World Cup's leading scorer award to his European Golden Shoe, following a career-best campaign atBayern Munich.

Kane scored 61 goals in 51 games as the German giants won a domestic double, and has now scored 73 goals for club and country during the 2025/26 campaign.

It's the second-most prolific season by a footballer in the 21st century, with only Lionel Messi bettering Kane's record.

Messi memorably scored 82 goals forBarcelona and Argentina during the 2011/12 season, a campaign that helped him break the record for goals scored in a calendar year in 2012 (91) to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

Messi's 91 goals surpassed Gerhard Müller's calendar year total of 85 goals scored during 1972, and did not include five further goals in friendly fixtures.

While Kane's current campaign looks highly unlikely to beat Messi's mark with a maximum of three World Cup games to go, the England captain can take pride in bettering every other season either Messi orCristiano Ronaldo have ever produced.

Ronaldo's best-ever season saw the five-time Ballon d'Or winner score 69 goals in 2011/12, a number Messi matched in 2012/13.

The most goals scored in a single season for club and country in the 21st century

82 - Lionel Messi, Barcelona and Argentina (2011-12)

73* - Harry Kane, Bayern Munich and England (2025-26)

69 - Lionel Messi, Barcelona and Argentina (2012-13)

69 - Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid and Portugal (2011-12)