World Cup top scorers: Lionel Messi joins Miroslav Klose as Kylian Mbappé closes in | OneFootball

Lionel Messi has drawn level with Miroslav Klose at the top of the World Cup scoring charts during the 2026 tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. A hat-trick against Algeria in a 3-0 win took Messi to 16 goals, while Kylian Mbappé had reached 14 earlier with a brace in France's 3-1 victory over Senegal.

According to L'Équipe, this is the 23rd edition of the World Cup. Before it began, the record belonged to Klose with 16 in 24 matches from 2002 to 2014. After Tuesday, Messi matches that tally across 27 matches spanning 2006 to 2026.

Ronaldo is next on 15 from 19 matches between 1994 and 2006. Gerd Müller follows with 14 in 13 games across the 1970 and 1974 tournaments.

The single-tournament benchmark remains Just Fontaine's 13 in 1958. Only two others have reached double figures at one finals, Sandor Kocsis with 11 in five matches in 1954, and Müller with 10 in 1970.

Three 21st-century hauls sit inside the top 10 for a single edition, Ronaldo's 8 in 2002, Mbappé's 8 in 2022 and Messi's 7 in 2022. That suggests Fontaine could still keep his record, although the expanded 2026 schedule, eight matches if a team reaches the semi-finals then final or third-place play-off, offers more opportunities to score.

Source: L'Équipe