Former Germany striker Miroslav Klose believes his World Cup goalscoring record could be broken soon. The all-time top scorer said that either Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe has the chance to overtake him in the upcoming World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
— Lionel Messi Türkiye (@LionelMessiTR_) January 14, 2026
Record Goals in World Cup
Klose scored 16 goals in World Cup tournamenst, setting the record during Germany’s title-winning campaign in 2014. He said Messi and Mbappe have an advantage because they also take penalty kicks, something he rarely did.
Brazil legend Ronaldo is second on the list with 15 goals, followed by Gerd Müller with 14. Messi and Just Fontaine have 13 goals each, while Mbappe and Pelé are on 12.
At 38, Messi is expected to play for defending champions Argentina, while Mbappe is almost certain to feature for France.
Klose also highlighted his other World Cup achievements. He has won 17 out of 24 matches, the most by any player, and is the only footballer to have played in four World Cup semi-finals. He is currently the head coach of German second-division club Nuremberg.
Quality this, a young mascot belting out his national anthem, not fazed who was stood behind him. Ronaldo was impressed… 👏pic.twitter.com/lMJkk3FJ8S
— The Away Fans (@theawayfans) September 7, 2025
Talking about Germany’s current team, Klose said Nick Woltemade is leading the race to become the country’s main striker. He also mentioned Tim Kleindienst as a strong option, while Niclas Füllkrug and Kai Havertz need to stay fit to compete for places.
Who is Miroslav Klose
Miroslav Klose is a German football manager and former player. He is currently the head coach of 1. FC Nürnberg.
As a striker, Klose is Germany’s all-time top goalscorer and holds the record for the most goals in FIFA World Cup history, with 16 goals scored across four tournaments from 2002 to 2014. He is best known for his outstanding performances with the German national team.
Who will break your historical record, Messi or Mbappé?
Miroslav Klose: “I’m actually a big fan of Messi. If there’s anyone I wish that for, it would be him as long as he’s still playing.
But Kylian Mbappé is also an exceptional talent, and I hope both of them stay healthy and… pic.twitter.com/rm8HgbU3RC
— Messi Media (@LeoMessiMedia) January 15, 2026
FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by sixteen cities—eleven in the USA three in Mexico, and two in Canada The tournament will be the first to be hosted by three nation.
Messi’s Argentina will start their campaign against Algeria on 16th June same day as Mbappe’s France Against senegal while Ronaldo’s Portugal will start their campaign on 17th june.
