Miroslav Klose believes the World Cup goalscoring record will change hands at the 2026 tournament and hopes Lionel Messi is the player who passes him. Klose currently leads with 16 goals, yet expects the expanded format and extra games to open the door for new history.
The former Germany striker sees Messi and Kylian Mbappe as the most likely threats. Both are already close behind in the World Cup charts and are set for major roles again in 2026, when they should feature in several high-pressure knockout matches.
Messi has scored 13 World Cup goals across a record 26 appearances and is preparing for a sixth edition. At the 2022 World Cup, the Argentina captain delivered 10 goal involvements, with seven goals and three assists, and guided Argentina to
the trophy after a dominant campaign.
Mbappe is also firmly in contention for the World Cup goalscoring record after a stunning start to tournament life. The France forward has 12 goals from the last two World Cups and 14 goal involvements overall, including a hat-trick in the 2022 final, underlining consistent productivity at the highest level.
Klose’s benchmark still stands at 16 goals from 24 World Cup matches, with every goal scored inside the penalty area. Seven of those strikes were headers, five came in knockout rounds, and the final one arrived in Germany’s 7-1 win over Brazil in the 2014 semi-finals.
Klose moved past Ronaldo Nazario’s World Cup tally during the 2014 tournament, yet does not expect to stay on top beyond 2026. "I expect my record to be broken at this World Cup," he told Suddeutsche Zeitung. "This is an expanded edition; there are more matches and therefore more opportunities to score. "
Reflecting on Messi and Mbappe, Klose backed both to shine across the extended schedule. "Both Messi and Mbappe will go far, and that is absolutely fine; the record was always going to be broken eventually. If it happens, I would be pleased if it were Messi. I have always been a huge fan of his; he is a genius. " Argentina start their World Cup campaign on June 16 against Algeria in Group J, while France open against Senegal, setting the stage for another chapter in the pursuit of the World Cup goalscoring record.
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