Klose’s World Cup record under threat as Messi levels, Mbappé closes in

KATHMANDU: Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record as the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading scorer is certain to be broken at the ongoing 2026 World Cup, with two of the biggest stars of modern football closing in on the milestone.

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi drew level with the German legend after scoring a hat-trick against Algeria on Wednesday morning, while France’s Kylian Mbappé moved closer to the record with a brace in France’s victory over Senegal earlier in the day.

Klose’s record of 16 goals, set across four World Cup tournaments between 2002 and 2014, had remained untouched for more than a decade. However, Messi matched the tally with a brilliant hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their Group J opener. The 38-year-old scored in the 17th, 60th and 76th minutes in Kansas to become only the second footballer after Cristiano Ronaldo to score in five different World Cup editions. With the hat-trick, Messi moved to 16 World Cup goals in 27 matches across six tournaments — 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026.

Klose reached the milestone of 16 goals in 24 appearances across four editions. He scored five goals in 2002, five in 2006, four in 2010 and two in the 2014 tournament, when Germany were crowned world champions.

The history of the World Cup’s top scoring record dates back to the inaugural tournament in 1930, when Argentina’s Guillermo Stábile scored eight goals. He held the record until 1950, when Brazil’s Ademir reached nine goals.

Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis broke the record in 1954 with 11 goals, before France’s Just Fontaine raised the mark to 13 goals in 1958. Fontaine’s record stood for nearly five decades until Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazário surpassed it in 2006, reaching 15 goals across four World Cups.

Eight years later, Germany’s Klose scored his 16th World Cup goal at the 2014 tournament.

While Messi has equaled the record, Mbappé has emerged as the strongest contender to surpass it. The French forward scored twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal, taking his World Cup goal tally to 14. Mbappé, at just 27, has reached the mark in only 15 matches across three tournaments — 2018, 2022 and 2026. His goals in the 66th minute and stoppage time moved him within two goals of Messi and Klose.

The race for the historic milestone now centers around the two players who represent different stages of football greatness. Messi has the advantage of experience, while Mbappé has age on his side and could have more opportunities to add to his tally in future World Cups if he maintains his fitness. France will continue their group campaign against Iraq on June 22 and Norway on June 26, while Argentina will face Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27 in their remaining Group J fixtures.

Both Argentina and France are favorites to advance to the knockout stage, giving Messi and Mbappé multiple opportunities to set the highest World Cup goals record.  Interestingly, they are the only active players among the top 10 World Cup scorers. The question is whether Klose’s record will fall, but rather who will break it first — Messi, who has already caught him, or Mbappé, who is chasing the mark at a remarkable pace.