• ALL-TIME TOP WORLD CUP GOALSCORERS: =35) Oldrich Nejedly (Czechoslovakia) seven goals in six games. Getty
    ALL-TIME TOP WORLD CUP GOALSCORERS: =35) Oldrich Nejedly (Czechoslovakia) seven goals in six games. Getty
  • =35) Careca (Brazil) seven goals in nine games.
    =35) Careca (Brazil) seven goals in nine games.
  • =35) Andrzej Szarmach (Poland, on floor) seven goals in 13 games. Getty
    =35) Andrzej Szarmach (Poland, on floor) seven goals in 13 games. Getty
  • =35) Luis Suarez (Uruguay) seven goals in 16 games. AFP
    =35) Luis Suarez (Uruguay) seven goals in 16 games. AFP
  • =35) Johnny Rep (Netherlands) seven goals in 14 games. AFP
    =35) Johnny Rep (Netherlands) seven goals in 14 games. AFP
  • =35) Hans Schaefer (Germany) seven goals in 15 games. Getty
    =35) Hans Schaefer (Germany) seven goals in 15 games. Getty
  • =26) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) eight goals in 22 games. AP
    =26) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) eight goals in 22 games. AP
  • =26) Oscar Miguez (Uruguay) eight goals in seven games. Getty =26) Leonidas (Brazil) eight goals in five games. =26) Guillermo Stabile (Argentina) eight goals in four games.
    =26) Oscar Miguez (Uruguay) eight goals in seven games. Getty =26) Leonidas (Brazil) eight goals in five games. =26) Guillermo Stabile (Argentina) eight goals in four games.
  • =26) Rudi Voeller (Germany) eight goals in 15 games. AFP
    =26) Rudi Voeller (Germany) eight goals in 15 games. AFP
  • =26) Rivaldo (Brazil) eight goals in 14 games. Getty
    =26) Rivaldo (Brazil) eight goals in 14 games. Getty
  • =26) Neymar (Brazil) eight goals in 13 games. Reuters
    =26) Neymar (Brazil) eight goals in 13 games. Reuters
  • =26) Harry Kane (England) eight goals in 11 games. Getty
    =26) Harry Kane (England) eight goals in 11 games. Getty
  • =26) Diego Maradona (Argentina) eight goals in 21 games. AFP
    =26) Diego Maradona (Argentina) eight goals in 21 games. AFP
  • =16) Uwe Seeler (Germany) nine goals in 21 games. AFP
    =16) Uwe Seeler (Germany) nine goals in 21 games. AFP
  • =16) Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Germany) nine goals in 19 games. AFP
    =16) Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Germany) nine goals in 19 games. AFP
  • =16) Jairzinho (Brazil) Nine goals in 16 games. AFP
    =16) Jairzinho (Brazil) Nine goals in 16 games. AFP
  • =16) Paolo Rossi (Italy) nine goals in 14 games. Action Images
    =16) Paolo Rossi (Italy) nine goals in 14 games. Action Images
  • =16) Roberto Baggio (Italy) nine goals in 16 games. Getty
    =16) Roberto Baggio (Italy) nine goals in 16 games. Getty
  • =16) David Villa (Spain) nine goals in 12 games. Getty
    =16) David Villa (Spain) nine goals in 12 games. Getty
  • =16) Vava (Brazil) nine goals in 10 games. AFP
    =16) Vava (Brazil) nine goals in 10 games. AFP
  • =16) Christian Vieri (Italy) nine goals in nine games. AFP
    =16) Christian Vieri (Italy) nine goals in nine games. AFP
  • =16) Eusebio (Portugal) nine goals in six games.
    =16) Eusebio (Portugal) nine goals in six games.
  • =16) Ademir (Brazil) nine goals in six games. AFP
    =16) Ademir (Brazil) nine goals in six games. AFP
  • =10) Grzegorz Lato (Poland) 10 goals in 20 games. Getty
    =10) Grzegorz Lato (Poland) 10 goals in 20 games. Getty
  • =10) Thomas Muller (Germany) 10 goals in 19 games. Getty
    =10) Thomas Muller (Germany) 10 goals in 19 games. Getty
  • =10) Teofilo Cubillas (Peru) 10 goals in 13 games. AFP
    =10) Teofilo Cubillas (Peru) 10 goals in 13 games. AFP
  • =10) Gary Lineker (England) 10 goals in 12 games.
    =10) Gary Lineker (England) 10 goals in 12 games.
  • =10) Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina) 10 goals in 12 games. Getty
    =10) Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina) 10 goals in 12 games. Getty
  • =10) Helmut Rahn (Germany) 10 goals in 10 games. AP
    =10) Helmut Rahn (Germany) 10 goals in 10 games. AP
  • =8) Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany) 11 goals in 17 games. Getty
    =8) Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany) 11 goals in 17 games. Getty
  • =8) Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) 11 goals in five games. Getty
    =8) Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) 11 goals in five games. Getty
  • =6) Pele (Brazil) 12 goals in 14 games. Action Images
    =6) Pele (Brazil) 12 goals in 14 games. Action Images
  • =6) Kylian Mbappe (France) 12 goals in 14 games. AP
    =6) Kylian Mbappe (France) 12 goals in 14 games. AP
  • =4) Just Fontaine (France) 13 goals in six games. AFP
    =4) Just Fontaine (France) 13 goals in six games. AFP
  • =4) Lionel Messi (Argentina) 13 goals in 26 games. Getty
    =4) Lionel Messi (Argentina) 13 goals in 26 games. Getty
  • 3) Gerd Muller (Germany) 14 goals in 13 games. AP
    3) Gerd Muller (Germany) 14 goals in 13 games. AP
  • 2) Ronaldo (Brazil) 15 goals in 19 games. AP
    2) Ronaldo (Brazil) 15 goals in 19 games. AP
  • 1) Miroslav Klose (Germany) 16 goals in 24 games. Getty
    1) Miroslav Klose (Germany) 16 goals in 24 games. Getty

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi surge up all-time World Cup top-scorers chart - in pictures


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France attacker Kylian Mbappe might have lost the World Cup final in heartbreaking fashion but at least he could enjoy a glimmer of consolation from winning the tournament Golden Boot award for top goalscorer.

Mbappe finished the tournament with eight goals from eight games in Qatar after scoring a hat-trick in the final defeat against Argentina.

It meant he ended one goal ahead of Lionel Messi, who scored two goals himself in the final that ended with Argentina winning 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out.

Thanks to their efforts in Qatar, both players surged up all-time World Cup top-scorers chart and while Messi might have called time on his World Cup career, Mbappe should have many more tournament appearances left in him. And the 23-year-old must surely be on course to overtake the current record held by Germany attacker Miroslav Klose.

There were three other players in Qatar who also enjoyed moves up the all-time list. Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man to score in five World Cup finals when he found the net against Ghana, while Brazil attacker Neymar and England's Harry Kane also found themselves among the goals.

In the gallery above you can see where Mbappe, Messi and Co now sit in the list of all-time World Cup finals goalscorers. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.

Updated: December 20, 2022, 6:06 AM