The countdown to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is on and already some of football’s biggest names will be dreaming of writing their own glorious chapter in the annals of the game’s most prestigious tournament.
As the World Cup inches closer and excitement starts to build, betting on the competition also begins to intensify and World Cup odds for the Gold Boot are often the most sought out markets ahead of kick-off.
Since the tournament’s first iteration in 1930, a string of expert marksmen, lethal finishers and potent match-winners have left their mark on the World Cup, claiming the individual gong for scoring the most goals while ensuring iconic status with supporters in their homeland for eternity.
Below, we’ve taken a closer look at the top 20 greatest scorers in the history of the World Cup.
20. Roberto Baggio
- Country: Italy
- World Cup Goals: 9
- Best Tournament: 1994 (five goals)
Roberto “The Divine Ponytail” Baggio was the poster boy of Italian football in the early to mid-90s and the schemer’s languid style and eye for the spectacular made him a global superstar. Baggio performed on football’s biggest stage at the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cup, though his displays in the USA were unmatched for both highs and lows. Baggio scored five times during Italy’s surge to the final, though he blazed over from the spot during the penalty shootout against Brazil at the competition’s climax.
(Video) Top 15 Highest GoalScorer in FIFA World Cup History 1930 – 2019 | All Time
19. Jairzinho
- Country: Brazil
- World Cup Goals: 9
- Best Tournament: 1970 (seven goals)
Jarizinho was one of several exciting players to star alongside Pele for the World Cup-winning Brazilian side in 1970 and his seven goals in Mexico that year included a crucial goal in the final against Italy. “The Hurricane” played with distinction at three World Cups for Brazil, in 1966, 1970 and 1974 before he retired in 1982.
18. Paolo Rossi
- Country: Italy
- World Cup Goals: 9
- Best Tournament: 1982 (six goals)
Paolo Rossi was a dynamic goalscorer throughout his career, though 1982 was undoubtedly his best year. Rossi won the World Cup with Italy in Spain and finished as the tournament’s leading marksman. Rossi broke the deadlock in the final against West Germany, and shortly after the celebrations, he was also crowned European and World Player of the Year.
17. David Villa
- Country: Spain
- World Cup Goals: 9
- Best Tournament: 2010 (five goals)
Former Spain and Barcelona attacker David Villa was denied a share of the Golden Boot award at South Africa in 2010 when Thomas Muller pipped him to the award thanks to his superior tally of assists, however, the World Cup trophy itself was a decent consolation prize that year. Villa played at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cup during his time with La Roja.
16. Vava
- Country: Brazil
- World Cup Goals: 9
- Best Tournament: 1958 (five goals)
Vava was a double World Cup winner for Brazil with success in 1958 and 1962 and though he only pulled on his country’s iconic yellow shirt 20 times during his playing days, he’s impact was stellar. Vava found the net twice in the 1958 final in Sweden.
15. Christian Vieri
- Country: Italy
- World Cup Goals: 9
- Best Tournament: 1998 (five goals)
Christian Vieri was a battering ram for Italy during an international career that spanned eight years and the ex-Milan and Juventus striker featured prominently at two World Cups in 1998 and 2002. Vieiri’s best total was at France 1998, though he fell short of Davor Suker’s six goals in the race for the Golden Boot.
(Video) TOP 20 GOALS ● WORLD CUPS
14. Eusebio
- Country: Portugal
- World Cup Goals: 9
- Best Tournament: 1966 (nine goals)
Despite playing at just one World Cup tournament, Eusebio’s name will always be synonymous with the famed international competition. The “Black Pearl” smashed home nine of Portugal’s 17 goals during WC 1966 in England, earning his country a third-place finish and the Golden Boot for himself along the way.
13. Grzegorz Lato
- Country: Poland
- World Cup Goals: 10
- Best Tournament: 1974 (seven goals)
Before Robert Lewandowski came along, Grzegorz Lato was football’s most famous Polish centre-forward and he remains the only player from his homeland to win a Golden Boot at a World Cup. Poland finished third at World Cup 1974 in West Germany and they couldn’t have earned that incredible achievement without Lato’s seven goals.
12. Thomas Muller
- Country: Germany
- World Cup Goals: 10
- Best Tournament: 2010 & 2014 (five goals)
Known as “Radio Muller” for his constant communication on the pitch, the Bayern Munich stalwart will be hoping to play in his fourth World Cup in Qatar having been involved for Germany at WC 2010, 2014 and 2018. Muller scored in the semi-final and helped the Germans win the final at the 2014 WC in Brazil.
11. Teófilo Cubillas
- Country: Peru
- World Cup Goals: 10
- Best Tournament: 1970 & 1978 (five goals)
Considered Peru’s greatest-ever player, Teófilo Cubillas performed brilliantly at two separate World Cups eight years apart for his country in the 1970s. Cubillas was in his pomp in 1970 when his goals dragged Peru to the World Cup quarter finals, where they were beaten 4-2 by eventual winners Brazil.
10. Gabriel Batistuta
- Country: Argentina
- World Cup Goals: 10
- Best Tournament: 1998 (five goals)
“Batigol” played at four World Cups (1994, 1998 & 2002) during a sparkling international journey and the explosive finisher enjoyed his best run at France 98, where his five goals for Argentina earned him second place in the scoring charts.
(Video) Top 10 World Cup Goalscorers of All-Time
9. Gary Lineker
- Country: England
- World Cup Goals: 10
- Best Tournament: 1986 (six goals)
The very definition of a “fox in the box”, Gary Lineker was a poacher supreme for the Three Lions at World Cup 1986 in Mexico, where he finished the tournament with the Golden Boot. Lineker also featured for England at WC 1990, though he never made it to a final.
8. Helmut Rahn
- Country: Germany
- World Cup Goals: 10
- Best Tournament: 1958 (six goals)
The first German of several German entries in our rundown is Helmut “The Boss” Rahn who leathered in ten goals for Die Mannschaft at World Cups. His most famous contribution came in the 1954 final when the scored twice to fire the Germans to victory against Hungary. Rahn would also score six times four years later at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
7. Jurgen Klinsmann
- Country: Germany
- World Cup Goals: 11
- Best Tournament: 1994 (five goals)
The 1994 World Cup in the United States didn’t go according to plan for Germany, who were beaten in the quarter finals by Bulgaria, though Jurgen Klinsmann did manage to fire home five goals for his country. The former Tottenham striker build up his 11-goal haul over three tournaments (1990, 1994 & 1998) and Klinsmann finished his international career as Germany’s third-most-capped player ever.
6. Sándor Kocsis
- Country: Hungary
- World Cup Goals: 11
- Best Tournament: 1954 (11 goals)
Kocsis was part of the Magnificent Magyars that revolutionised the way football was played in the 1950s and the Hungarian hitman plundered 11 goals during his country’s run to the 1954 World Cup final in Switzerland. Unfortunately, Kocsis scored in every fixture during the tournament, except for the final which the Hungarians lost to underdogs, Germany.
5. Pele
- Country: Brazil
- World Cup Goals: 12
- Best Tournament: 1958 (six goals)
Pele was the centrepiece of some outstanding Brazilian teams at numerous World Cups and the attacker won three tournaments during his illustrious career before hanging up his boots. Pele managed to score in two World Cup finals and he hit 12 goals overall in the competition. His best year in terms of numbers was at WC Sweden ‘58 when he got his hands on the trophy.
(Video) BEST World Cup Goals in History
4. Just Fontaine
- Country: France
- World Cup Goals: 13
- Best Tournament: 1958 (13 goals)
Just Fontaine only featured at one World Cup during his career, however, the Blues frontman was near unstoppable at Sweden 1958. Fontaine scored 13 times during the competition and his haul included superb hattricks against Paraguay and Germany. France could only finish third, though Fontaine’s record for goals scored in a single World Cup campaign still stands today.
3. Gerhard Muller
- Country: Germany
- World Cup Goals: 14
- Best Tournament: 1970 (ten goals)
Legendary predator Muller earned the nickname “Der Bomer” for his exploits in the final third and the German striker scored ten goals in a single World Cup tournament in 1970. However, Muller cemented his place in German football folklore with a winning goal in the final of the 1974 World Cup against bitter rivals, the Netherlands.
2. Ronaldo
- Country: Brazil
- World Cup Goals: 15
- Best Tournament: 2002 (eight goals)
Il Fenomeno scored a whopping 62 times in 98 appearances for Brazil and 15 of those goals were notched at the World Cup. Ronaldo claimed a winner’s medal in 1994 as a bit-part squad member, though he hit the net eight times in 2002 when he led his country to glory again. Ronaldo scored the only goal in Brazil’s semi-final win over Turkey and both of O Canarinho’s goals against Germany in the final itself.
1. Miroslav Klose
- Country: Germany
- World Cup Goals: 16
- Best Tournament: 2002 & 2005 (five each)
No player has scored more goals at World Cup tournaments than Miroslav Klose and while the former German international doesn’t quite share the same platform or accolades as some of the other players on this list, his place in history is well-earned. Klose was never part of a German World Cup-winning team, though he came close in 2002 as a beaten finalist. That was the year Klose was one of the few forwards to master the new light Adidas Fevernova football.
16 Goals: Miroslav Klose
No player has as many goals at World Cup finals as German striker Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 times in 24 appearances across four separate tournaments. The only other players to score in as many as four World Cup tournaments are compatriot Uwe Seeler, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pelé.
Who has more goals in the World Cup Messi or Ronaldo? › Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: World Cup stats
| Cristiano Ronaldo | World Cup stat | Lionel Messi |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Appearances | 19 |
| 7 | Goals | 6 |
| 0.4 | Goals per game | 0.3 |
Who is the top 5 active goal scorer in the world? ›
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Argentina’s Lionel Messi and India’s Sunil Chhetri form the top three active international goalscorers list. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo maintains his position as top international goalscorer in men’s football with 117 goals in 191 appearances.
Who is the best football player in the world? ›
Karim Benzama won the Ballon d’Or Award (his first) for 2022, beating the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Mohammad Salah and Robert Lewandowski in the race. One of the main architects of Real Madrid’s winning their 14th Champions League trophy was French striker Karim Benzema.
Which player has scored 1000 goals? ›
Brazilian soccer great Pelé scores his 1,000th professional goal in a game, against Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium. It was a major milestone in an illustrious career that included three World Cup championships.
Who is the No 1 player in football history? ›
Lionel Messi (PSG)
There’s no doubt about it that Ronaldo and Messi will go down in history among the top three best football players of all time, alongside the late great Diego Maradona, but while Ronaldo’s role has been boiled down somewhat, we’re still witnessing the full-fat version of Messi.
Who is the king of world football? ›
Who is the king of football in the world 2022? Having grabbed the spot of the highest goal scorer in the history of the UEFA Champions League, Lionel Messi is the 2022 king of football.
Who is better Messi or Ronaldo? ›
No player in the world has owned more Ballon d’Or trophies than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. So far, Messi has pocketed six Ballon d’Or titles, one more than the Portuguese forward. Lionel Messi has received six titles in the European Golden Shoe, with eight being the tournament’s top scorer.
Who is goat of football now? ›
Lionel Messi’s name is synonymous with football. Right from the moment the 17-year-old wunderkind made his senior debut for FC Barcelona back in 2004, the left-footed magician from Argentina has racked up several accolades as well as broken numerous records, which may be hard for future generations to breach.
Who is faster Messi or Ronaldo? ›
Lionel Messi’s pace is made up of 87 Acceleration and 76 Sprint Speed, meaning he will be quick off the mark! Man Utd’s Cristiano Ronaldo has more balanced attributes, with 79 Acceleration and 83 Sprint Speed.
Who is the goat in soccer? ›
In Argentina, many fans consider Diego Maradona the greatest player ever because he seemingly single-handedly brought Argentina the 1986 World Cup. However, recency certainly plays a role. Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo light up the ‘GOAT’ debate in the modern era.
Who is highest goal scorer in the World 2022? › Golden Shoe 2022-23: Haaland, Lewandowski & European football’s top scorers
- Getty. 1Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 18 goals (36) …
- Getty Images. 2Robert Lewandowski | Barcelona | 12 goals (24) …
- (C)Getty Images. 3Christopher Nkunku | Red Bull Leipzig | 11 goals (22) …
- Getty. …
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- Getty Images.
Who scored highest goals in football? ›
Most Goals in Soccer History. The 30 top goal scorers of all time. The portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest goal scorer in the world with 818 offical goals. He is followed by the austrian Josef Bican with 805 official goals.
Who is the best player in the world 2022? ›
PARIS, Oct 17 (Reuters) – Real Madrid’s France forward Karim Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d’Or award for the best men’s player in the world on Monday, while Barcelona’s Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women’s award for a second time.
Who is the No 1 player in the world? ›
1. Lionel Messi. Who else? Lionel Messi is the best player of his generation.
Who is No 2 football player in the world? ›
| Name | Goals | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | 700 |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 732 |
| 3 | Neymar | 305 |
| 4 | Robert Lewandowski | 468 |
6 more rows Who is the 2nd best football player in the world? ›
| # | Player | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2 (2016, 2017) |
| 2 | Robert Lewandowski | 2 (2020, 2021) |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | 1 (2019) |
| 4 | Luka Modrić | 1 (2018) |
4 more rows Who scored 200 goals fastest? ›
He has 51, 45 and 60 goals in the past three seasons after scoring 23 times as a rookie. At 23 years and 41 days, Stamkos is the fourth-youngest player to reach 200 goals, The only ones to do it faster are Wayne Gretzky (21 years, 256 days), Mario Lemieux (22 years, 148 days) and Dale Hawerchuk (22 years, 266 days).
Who scored fastest 500 goals? › Footballers with 500 or more goals
- Josef Bican is credited by FIFA with 805 goals.
- Pelé, with 762 official goals according to the IFFHS, held the world record for around 50 years.
- Imre Schlosser, the first footballer to score 500 goals.
- Alfredo Di Stéfano, the first South American to score 500.
Who scored 92 goals in a season? ›
Gretzky’s numbers from 1981-82 (92 goals, 212 points) get all the attention, but he may have been at his best in 1983-84, when he opened the season by getting at least one point in the first 51 games.
Who is best player all time? ›
The late Diego Maradona has been ranked as the greatest footballer of all-time, with Pele and Lionel Messi completing the top-three….
The 50 greatest players in history.
| Pos | Player | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
| 2. | Pele | Brazil |
| 3. | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
| 4. | Franz Beckenbauer | Germany |
46 more rows Who is best goalkeeper in the world 2022? ›
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been awarded the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper of the 2021-22 season.
Who is No 1 football team in world? ›
The FIFA Men’s World Ranking is a ranking system for men’s national teams in association football, currently led by Brazil.
Who is the father of football? ›
On April 7, 1859, Walter Chauncey Camp, the “Father of American football,” was born in New Britain, Connecticut.
Who is the best dribbler in soccer? ›
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi is regarded as the king of dribbling skills in football. Messi has won the Ballon d’Or for being the best footballer in the world over a calendar year seven times over the course of his career, which is the most in the history of world football.
Former Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is one of the fastest athletes in the world.
And there was even one member of that all-conquering collection of players that was rated higher than Messi at the time, if you can believe it. His name is Victor Vazquez and he was also the Argentine icon’s best friend at La Masia.
Lionel Messi Learns Like A Genius.
Who is the number 1 GOAT of football? ›
Football’s GOAT is a matter of continuous debate within the community, but the consensus in recent years has narrowed the question down to one of two players: Ronaldo or Messi.
Not many people can claim to be the G.O.A.T., but those who can are the Greatest Of All Time in their field. Most often, the acronym G.O.A.T. praises exceptional athletes but also musicians and other public figures.
Who are the 2 goats of football? ›
Ronaldo has scored 689 goals and assisted 247 in 961 appearances for club and country. Messi, two years younger, has played 823 matches in his career, scoring 671 times and assisting 286 goals.
1. Usain Bolt’s top speed was 29.6 MPH—6 MPH (25%!) faster than Mbappe’s. 2.
How Fast is Lionel Messi? In his prime, Lionel Messi could reach top speeds of just over 20 MPH. This would only be in short spurts, as most soccer players don’t go on super long sprints during a match. His prime speed has him rated as one of the 15 fastest soccer players in professional history.
Who is better at dribbling Messi or Ronaldo? ›
5. Lionel Messi Is a Better Dribbler Than Cristiano Ronaldo. Since moving to Real Madrid, Ronaldo has cut down on the flashy dribbling moves. With the exception of an occasional step-over, the large majority of Ronaldo’s dribbling stats are accumulated by accelerating past the right-back.
22Son Heung-Min | Tottenham | 3 goals
South Korea star Son Heung-Min enjoyed a fantastic 2021-22 campaign, scoring 23 goals to share the Golden Boot award with Liverpool counterpart Mohamed Salah.
Who is leading the Golden Boot 2022? ›
The race to be crowned European Golden Shoe winner for 2022/23 has started. Robert Lewandowski won the last two editions of the award and is seeking to match Lionel Messi (2016-2019) by winning three in a row.
Can Ronaldo score 1000 goals? ›
If Zlatan , who is still injury prone is slaying teams in his 40s, then Ronaldo will go beyond that age. And by 40 years or 41, the Portuguese superstar must have surpassed 1000 goals and indeed set a record so high in the Galaxy that other alien creatures in our universe will marvel at such a man.
Who has the most records in football history? ›
Cristiano Ronaldo has the most records in football history. The Portuguese forward has been in menacing form since he burst into the scene and only except for the World Cup he has almost won everything in football.
Who has the highest Golden Boot between Messi and Ronaldo? ›
Messi has got his hands on the European Golden Shoe a record six times, which is two more than Ronaldo, and is marginally ahead of his rival overall, but the fact that both have been on the FIFPro World XI 14 times is an illustration of how closely fought the battle has been.
Who score most between Messi and Ronaldo? ›
Who has scored the most goals between Messi and Ronaldo? Ronaldo has scored 804 goals in 1106 games while Messi has scored 759 goals in 957 games.
Who is the most skillful player in football 2022? ›
Lewandowski has a well-balanced set of skills when it comes to pace, strength, and technical ability, which certainly earns him the spot among the all-time greats in the history of football.
Who is the King of Football 2022? ›
Lionel Messi is the holder of the title ‘King of football.
› lists › cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-me… › Who is the highest goal scorer in 2022? ›
1Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 17 goals.
Who has the most goals in 2022? ›
Kylian Mbappe – 27 goals.
Who is the top scorer in the World 2022? ›
IFFHS MEN’S WORLD BEST TOP GOAL SCORER 2022 at February 28
Picture : Vincent Aboubakar is the leader of the global ranking 2022 at end February.
Who has scored the most goals in football history 2022? ›
The portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest goal scorer in the world with 818 offical goals. He is followed by the austrian Josef Bican with 805 official goals. Lionel Messi closes the podium with 785 goals.
Who will win Golden Boot 2022? ›
1Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 18 goals (36)
Who is leading the Golden Boot 2022? ›
The race to be crowned European Golden Shoe winner for 2022/23 has started. Robert Lewandowski won the last two editions of the award and is seeking to match Lionel Messi (2016-2019) by winning three in a row.
Who is the best striker in football 2022? › 5 best strikers in world football right now (September 2022)
- #5 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) Harry Kane is one of the most complete centre-forwards of his generation. …
- #4 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) …
- #3 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) …
- #2 Erling Haaland (Manchester City) …
- #1 Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
Who is the best assist in the world? ›
Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi has provided the most assists in football. The Argentina captain has tallied 377 assists in his record-breaking career for club and country.
Who score most between Messi and Ronaldo? ›
Who has scored the most goals between Messi and Ronaldo? Ronaldo has scored 804 goals in 1106 games while Messi has scored 759 goals in 957 games.
Who is top assist in Premier League? ›
As a player who has 632 Premier League appearances under his belt, it’s probably unsurprising that Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs tops the list of leading Premier League assisters. The Welshman provided 162 assists over his Premier League career, which is 51 more than the next best player: Cesc Fàbregas.
Who is the most skillful player in football 2022? ›
Lewandowski has a well-balanced set of skills when it comes to pace, strength, and technical ability, which certainly earns him the spot among the all-time greats in the history of football.
Who is better Messi or Ronaldo 2022? ›
Messi has currently scored more goals than Ronaldo in the 2022-23 season. The PSG star has scored 12 goals in 17 games in all competitions, while Ronaldo took until his tenth appearance to net his first goal from open play. He has just three in all competitions.
Who will be the best player in 2030? › Mbappe, Haaland and the wonderkids who could win Goal 50 in 2030
- Frenkie de Jong. …
- Christian Pulisic. …
- Trent Alexander-Arnold. …
- Kylian Mbappe. …
- Kai Havertz. …
- Joao Felix. …
- Jadon Sancho. …
- Phil Foden.
Who is the best player in the world all time? ›
Brazilian legend Pele is widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time. No player has won more World Cups than him, and that alone should be enough to justify the Brazilian’s inclusion at the top of this list. Goalscorer supreme, Pele was also the focal point of attack for club and country.
Who has the most records in football history? ›
Cristiano Ronaldo has the most records in football history. The Portuguese forward has been in menacing form since he burst into the scene and only except for the World Cup he has almost won everything in football.
Can Ronaldo score 1000 goals? ›
If Zlatan , who is still injury prone is slaying teams in his 40s, then Ronaldo will go beyond that age. And by 40 years or 41, the Portuguese superstar must have surpassed 1000 goals and indeed set a record so high in the Galaxy that other alien creatures in our universe will marvel at such a man.
› top-scorers-in-football-history-… ›
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