FIFA World Cup top goalscorers
This article lists every country's goalscorers in the FIFA World Cup. There are over 1200 goalscorers for the over 2300 goals scored at the 20 editions of the World Cup final tournaments.
As per conventions, converted penalties during shoot-outs are excluded.
Top goalscorers
Note: Players in bold are still playing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
- Tournaments in round brackets, e.g., (1982): Played in the tournament but did not score a goal
- Tournaments in square brackets: e.g., [1994]: Part of the squad for the tournament but did not play
Rank | Nation | Player | Goals scored | Matches played | Goal average | Tournaments |
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1 | ![]() |
Miroslav Klose | 16 | 23 | 0.70 | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 |
2 | ![]() |
Ronaldo | 15 | 19 | 0.79 | [1994], 1998, 2002, 2006 |
3 | ![]() |
Gerd Müller | 14 | 13 | 1.08 | 1970, 1974 |
4 | ![]() |
Just Fontaine | 13 | 6 | 2.17 | 1958 |
5 | ![]() |
Pelé | 12 | 14 | 0.86 | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 |
6 | ![]() |
Sándor Kocsis | 11 | 5 | 2.20 | 1954 |
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Jürgen Klinsmann | 11 | 17 | 0.65 | 1990, 1994, 1998 | |
8 | ![]() |
Helmut Rahn | 10 | 10 | 1.00 | 1954, 1958 |
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Gabriel Batistuta | 10 | 12 | 0.83 | 1994, 1998, 2002 | |
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Gary Lineker | 10 | 12 | 0.83 | 1986, 1990 | |
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Thomas Müller | 10 | 12 | 0.83 | 2010, 2014 | |
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Teófilo Cubillas | 10 | 13 | 0.77 | 1970, 1978, (1982) | |
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Grzegorz Lato | 10 | 20 | 0.50 | 1974, 1978, 1982 | |
14 | ![]() |
Eusébio | 9 | 6 | 1.50 | 1966 |
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Christian Vieri | 9 | 9 | 1.00 | 1998, 2002 | |
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Vavá | 9 | 10 | 0.90 | 1958, 1962 | |
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David Villa | 9 | 11 | 0.82 | 2006, 2010, 2014 | |
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Paolo Rossi | 9 | 14 | 0.64 | 1978, 1982, [1986] | |
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Jairzinho | 9 | 16 | 0.56 | (1966), 1970, 1974 | |
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Roberto Baggio | 9 | 16 | 0.56 | 1990, 1994, 1998 | |
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Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | 9 | 19 | 0.47 | 1978, 1982, 1986 | |
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Uwe Seeler | 9 | 21 | 0.43 | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 | |
23 | ![]() |
Guillermo Stábile | 8 | 4 | 2.00 | 1930 |
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Leônidas[1] | 8 | 5 | 1.60 | 1934, 1938 | |
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Ademir[2] | 8 | 6 | 1.33 | 1950 | |
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Oscar Míguez | 8 | 7 | 1.14 | 1950, 1954 | |
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Rivaldo | 8 | 14 | 0.57 | 1998, 2002 | |
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Rudi Völler | 8 | 15 | 0.53 | 1986, 1990, 1994 | |
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Diego Maradona | 8 | 21 | 0.38 | 1982, 1986, (1990), 1994 | |
30 | ![]() |
Oldřich Nejedlý[3] | 7 | 6 | 1.17 | 1934, 1938 |
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Lajos Tichy | 7 | 8 | 0.88 | 1958, 1962, [1966] | |
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Careca | 7 | 9 | 0.78 | 1986, 1990 | |
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Andrzej Szarmach | 7 | 13 | 0.54 | 1974, 1978, 1982 | |
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Johnny Rep | 7 | 14 | 0.50 | 1974, 1978 | |
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Hans Schäfer | 7 | 15 | 0.47 | 1954, 1958, (1962) |
A total of 20 players have scored 6 goals: Erich Probst, Bebeto, Rivelino, Hristo Stoichkov, James Rodríguez, Thierry Henry, Helmut Haller, Lothar Matthäus, Max Morlock, Asamoah Gyan, György Sárosi, Salvatore Schillaci, Dennis Bergkamp, Rob Rensenbrink, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Zbigniew Boniek, Oleg Salenko, Josef Hügi, Diego Forlán.
A total of 33 players have scored 5 goals: Gonzalo Higuaín, Lionel Messi, Tim Cahill, Hans Krankl, Marc Wilmots, Garrincha, Romário, Zico, Roger Milla, Tomáš Skuhravý, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Geoff Hurst, Michel Platini, Zinédine Zidane, Franz Beckenbauer, Lukas Podolski, Gyula Zsengellér, Alessandro Altobelli, Silvio Piola, Johan Neeskens, Robin van Persie, Peter McParland, Valentin Ivanov, Emilio Butragueño, Fernando Hierro, Fernando Morientes, Raúl, Kennet Andersson, Henrik Larsson, Landon Donovan, Pedro Cea, Juan Alberto Schiaffino, Luis Suárez
Timeline
This is a progressive list of footballers that have held the record for most goals scored at the FIFA World Cup.
Top goalscorer by tournament
World Cup | Player | Team | Goals scored | Matches played | Awards |
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Guillermo Stábile | ![]() |
8 | 4 | Golden Boot |
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Oldřich Nejedlý | ![]() |
5 | 3 or 4 | |
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Leônidas | ![]() |
7 | 4 or 5 | |
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Ademir | ![]() |
8 | 4? | |
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Sándor Kocsis | ![]() |
11 | 4 | |
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Just Fontaine | ![]() |
13 | 4 | |
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Garrincha | ![]() |
4 | 4 | |
Vavá | ![]() | ||||
Leonel Sánchez | ![]() | ||||
Flórián Albert | ![]() | ||||
Valentin Ivanov | ![]() | ||||
Dražan Jerković | ![]() | ||||
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Eusébio | ![]() |
9 | 4 | |
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Gerd Müller | ![]() |
10 | 4 | |
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Grzegorz Lato | ![]() |
7 | 4 | |
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Mario Kempes | ![]() |
6 | 4 | |
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Paolo Rossi | ![]() |
6 | 4 | |
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Gary Lineker | ![]() |
6 | 4 | |
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Salvatore Schillaci | ![]() |
6 | 4 | |
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Hristo Stoichkov | ![]() |
6 | 4 | |
Oleg Salenko | ![]() |
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Davor Šuker | ![]() |
6 | 4 | |
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Ronaldo | ![]() |
8 | 4 | |
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Miroslav Klose | ![]() |
5 | 4 | |
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Thomas Müller | ![]() |
5 | 4 | |
Wesley Sneijder | ![]() | ||||
David Villa | ![]() | ||||
Diego Forlán | ![]() | ||||
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4 |
See also
- List of FIFA World Cup goalscorers
- List of FIFA World Cup hat-tricks
- FIFA World Cup milestone goals
- List of FIFA World Cup own goals
References
- ^ FIFA initially credited Leônidas with eight goals in 1938. However, FIFA changed it to seven goals in November 2006, meaning he scored a total of eight goals overall (he scored one goal in 1934). In some sources. Leônidas was credited with nine goals in the 1938 tournament, mis-crediting one Brazilian goal in the first-round match against Poland.
- ^ There was a controversy regarding the number of goals scored by Ademir in 1950 because of incomplete data from the final group round game against Spain, that ended in a 6-1 victory for Brazil. The fifth Brazilian goal was credited to Jair, but are now credited to Ademir.
- ^ FIFA initially credited Nejedlý with only four goals in 1934. However, FIFA changed it to five goals in November 2006, meaning he scored a total of seven goals overall (he scored two goals in 1938). [1]