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The ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to produce record-breaking performances, with several stars making football history in the knockout stage.
Following the conclusion of the Round of 32 and the commencement of the Round of 16 on Saturday, PUNCH Online highlights the players with the most goals in the knockout phase of World Cup.
According to the rankings updated by FIFA on Friday, France captain Kylian Mbappé is the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup knockout-stage history with 10 goals.
The 27-year-old reached the milestone following his two-goal performance in France’s 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32 on June 30.
Mbappé’s average of 1.11 knockout-stage goals per game is the highest among active players on the list.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi is among four players with six knockout-stage goals after adding to his tally in Argentina’s 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde on Friday.
According to FIFA, only 20 players in World Cup history have scored at least five goals in knockout matches.
FIFA World Cup knockout-stage top scorers
| Rank | Player | Country | Goals | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kylian Mbappé | France | 10 | 9 |
| 2 | Leonidas | Brazil | 8 | 5 |
| 2 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 8 | 10 |
| 4 | Just Fontaine | France | 7 | 3 |
| 4 | Vavá | Brazil | 7 | 5 |
| 4 | Oldřich Nejedlý | Czechoslovakia | 7 | 6 |
| 4 | Pelé | Brazil | 7 | 6 |
| 8 | Eusébio | Portugal | 6 | 3 |
| 9 | György Sárosi | Hungary | 6 | 5 |
| 9 | Gary Lineker | England | 6 | 6 |
| 9 | Roberto Baggio | Italy | 6 | 9 |
| 9 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 6 | 13 |
| 13 | Silvio Piola | Italy | 5 | 4 |
| 13 | Gyula Zsengellér | Hungary | 5 | 4 |
| 13 | Helmut Rahn | West Germany | 5 | 6 |
| 13 | Harry Kane | England | 5 | 7 |
| 13 | Thomas Müller | Germany | 5 | 7 |
| 13 | Zinedine Zidane | France | 5 | 7 |
| 13 | Wesley Sneijder | Netherlands | 5 | 8 |
| 13 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 5 | 14 |
FIFA noted that comparisons across different eras should be viewed in context because the format of the World Cup has changed significantly over time.
The governing body explained that the 1934 and 1938 tournaments were played entirely as knockout competitions, while the 1950 World Cup had no knockout stage.
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It also noted that the 1930, 1974, 1978 and 1982 editions featured only a limited number of knockout matches compared with the modern tournament format.
Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.
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