FULL LIST: Messi extends lead as World Cup’s all-time highest goalscorer

Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, strengthened his position as the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history after finding the net in his country’s match against Cape Verde on Friday.

The goal took Messi’s World Cup tally to 20, extending his lead over France’s Kylian Mbappé, who has scored 18 goals at the tournament.

Former Germany striker, Miroslav Klose, previously the all-time leading scorer, now sits third with 16 goals, while Brazil legend Ronaldo is fourth on 15.

Germany’s Gerd Mueller occupies fifth place with 14 goals.

The updated list of the World Cup’s all-time leading scorers is:

20 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
18 – Kylian Mbappé (France)
16 – Miroslav Klose (Germany)
15 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
14 – Gerd Mueller (Germany)
13 – Just Fontaine (France), Harry Kane (England)
12 – Pele (Brazil)
11 – Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany), Sándor Kocsis (Hungary), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
10 – Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina), Helmut Rahn (Germany), Gary Lineker (England), Teofilo Cubillas (Peru), Thomas Mueller (Germany), Grzegorz Lato (Poland)

Olugbenga Ige is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over nine years of professional reporting experience. He is known for his sharp eye for compelling stories and a strong instinct for identifying newsworthy developments. Over the years, Olugbenga has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.

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