Lionel Messi has equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record, while Kylian Mbappe continues to close in following their latest goal contributions at the 2026 tournament.
Messi reached the historic milestone with a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening Group J match, taking his World Cup tally to 16 goals and drawing level with Klose at the top of the all-time scoring chart.
The achievement places Messi firmly in the history books once again, as he continues to deliver on football’s biggest stage even in the latter stages of his international career.
French star Kylian Mbappe also made a strong start to the tournament, scoring a brace in France’s win over Senegal to move to 14 World Cup goals, just two behind the joint record holders.
Klose’s long-standing mark of 16 goals, set during his international career with Germany between 2002 and 2014, had remained untouched for over a decade until Messi’s latest landmark performance brought him level with the German legend.
While Messi now stands on the brink of becoming the outright record holder, Mbappe’s pace, consistency, and efficiency in front of goal position him as a serious long-term challenger, with the French forward still having age on his side and multiple tournaments potentially ahead of him.
With both players still active in the competition and expected to play key roles for their nations as the tournament progresses, the race to become the leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history is shaping up to be one of the defining narratives of the 2026 edition, with every match carrying the possibility of a new record being set.
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