The FIFA world cup is one of the most prestigious sports tournaments in the world featuring the best countries playing football from all over the world. Every four years, a different country is selected to host this amazing tournament while the world watches from different media. Each country has the goal of winning this highly coveted trophy, it’s a dream, an achievement, a record, and a milestone for both the team players and fans inclusive. A world cup goal is golden and not many great players have world cup goals in their names and talk less about having multiple world cup goals.
But the few footballers who have a couple of world cup goals in their names are legends in world football. We would be listing fifteen football legends with the most world cup goals. Check them out below.
1. Miroslav Klose – 16 goals
Miroslav Klose who is a German international is the player with the most world cup goals. He achieved this feat in 24 appearances for the German National team across four world cup editions (2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014). He also has a World cup hattrick and a World Cup Golden boot to his name.
2. Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima – 15 goals
The name “Ronaldo” is well-renowned in the football world due to it being named after two of the greatest footballers of all time, Ronaldo de Lima and Christiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo was a professional player for the Brazilian national team. He is the second footballer with the highest number of world cup goals. He held the record for the most world cup goals until it was broken by Miroslav Klose who is now the all-time top scorer. He scored 15 goals in 19 appearances across three world cup editions (1998, 2002, and 2006).
3. Gerd Muller – 14 goals
Gerd Muller is a German international and the third-highest goal-scorer in World Cup history. He achieved this feat by scoring 14 goals across 13 appearances in just two world cup editions (1970 and 1974). He is one of the few players to have double-goal figures in a single World cup tournament. Klose achieved this by scoring 10 goals in the 1970 world cup.
4. Just Fontaine – 13 goals
Just Fontaine is a France International and the fourth fourth-highest order in world cup history. He achieved this feat by scoring 13 goals in just six world cup appearances. He set this record by scoring 13 goals in the 1958 world cup tournament. He couldn’t play more than a single world cup edition due to a career-ending injury which forced him to retire early at age 28.
5. Pele – 12 goals
Edson Arantes do Nascimento who is popularly called, Pele is a Brazilian international and one of the highest goal scorers in world cup history. Pele who is, the highest goal scorer of all time, fails to add a couple of world cup goals to his portfolio. He scored 12 goals in 14 appearances across. Pele is also a three-time world champion.
6. Jurgen Klinsmann – 11 goals
Jurgen is a German international and one of the few players who have scored a double-digit number of goals in world cup history. He scored 11 goals in 17 appearances across three world cup editions for the national team (in 1990, 1994, 1998).
7. Sandor Kocsis – 11 goals
Sandor Kocsis is a Hungarian international and one of the highest goal-scorers in World cup history. He is tied with Jurgen Klinsmann at no.6 with both players scoring 11 goals. Kocsis scored 11 goals in 5 world appearances at the 1954 world cup hosted by Switzerland. He is the second player behind Just Fontaine to score as many goals in a single World cup tournament.
8. Gabriel Batistuta – 10 goals
Gabriel Batistuta is an Argentine international and the highest goal scorer for Argentina in the FIFA world cup. He is tied with 5 other players who have also scored 10 goals including; Grzegorz Lato (Poland), Teofilo Cubillas (Peru), Gary Lineker (England), and Germans Helmut Rahn and Thomas Müller. He scored 10 goals across 12 appearances for Argentina.
9. Teofilo Cubillas – 10 goals
Teofilo Cubillas is a professional player for the Peru national team. He is one of the highest goal scorers in World cup history and tied alongside five other players who have scored the exact number of World cup goals including; Grzegorz Lato (Poland), Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina), Gary Lineker (England), and Germans Helmut Rahn and Thomas Müller. He scored 10 goals across 13 appearances for Peru making him the country’s highest goal scorer in the World cup.
10. Grzegorz Lato – 10 goals
Grzegorz Lato is a professional player for the Poland national team. He is also the highest goal scorer for Poland in World cup history scoring 10 goals in 20 appearances for his country. He is tied on 10 goals with five other players including; Teofilo Cubillas (Peru), Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina), Gary Lineker (England), and Germans Helmut Rahn and Thomas Müller.
As it stands these are the highest goal scorers in world cup history right from the first world cup in 1930 up till the last world cup in 2018. Although, these records could be broken anytime soon, especially by Thomas Muller who is on 10 goals and playing in the 2022 world cup.
