The World's Top Scorers: Where Messi and Mbappe Rank Among FIFA's All-Time Greats

The 2026 edition of the World Cup is underway, and the world's best are back on the pitch for another chance at the trophy.

A select few players have stood out from the rest as top scorers in the tournament's history. Among the active players, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are part of the top 10 leaderboard as they suit up for the 2026 World Cup.

Let's look at how these two icons stack up against the rest of the tournament's history. Who has more World Cup goals – the French sensation or the 'Little Boy From Rosario'?

Here's a list of players with the most goals in World Cup history:

Mbappe has 13 goals to his name, achieved in dramatic fashion during France's World Cup opener against Senegal. At just 27 years old, Mbappe has solidified himself as one of France's all-time greats, boasting a record 57 goals through 99 international matches, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Watch Mbappe's first World Cup goal against Senegal:

On top of his impressive World Cup tally, Mbappe made history by becoming France's leading international goalscorer after a stoppage-time strike against Senegal.

In comparison, Messi has scored 13 goals across five World Cup appearances. During the 2022 tournament, he added two more goals to his tally, securing a World Cup title for Argentina and cementing his legendary status in the sport.

Cristiano Ronaldo, a former rival and a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, has scored eight World Cup goals across five tournaments. His impressive record still falls short of the top scorers in World Cup history.