FIFA World Cup top goalscorers
More than 2,000 goals have been scored in the 21 editions of the men's FIFA World Cup final tournaments, not counting penalties scored during shoot-outs. Since the first goal scored by French player Lucien Laurent at the 1930 FIFA World Cup, more than 1,250 male footballers have scored goals in the men’s World Cup final tournaments, of whom just 97 have scored five or more.
| Goals | ≥11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Total |
| Nos. of players | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 26 | 34 | >50 | >90 | >200 | >750 | >1,250 |
The top goalscorer of the inaugural competition was Argentina's Guillermo Stábile with eight goals. Since then, only 22 male players have scored more at all the games played at the World Cup than Stábile did throughout the 1930 tournament. The first was Hungary's Sándor Kocsis with eleven in 1954. At the next tournament, France's Just Fontaine improved on this record with 13 goals in only six games. Gerd Müller scored 10 for West Germany in 1970 and broke the overall record when he scored his 14th goal in the World Cup final tournament during West Germany's win in the 1974 final. His record stood for more than three decades until Ronaldo's 15 goals between 1998 and 2006 for Brazil. Germany's Miroslav Klose went on to score a record 16 goals across four consecutive tournaments between 2002 and 2014. Only two other male players have surpassed 10 goals in the World Cup: Pelé with 12 between 1958 and 1970 for Brazil, and Jürgen Klinsmann with 11 between 1990 and 1998 for Germany.
Of all the players who have played in the men's World Cup finals, only six have achieved an average of two goals or more per game played: Kocsis, Fontaine, Stábile, Russia's Oleg Salenko, Switzerland's Josef Hügi, and Poland's Ernst Wilimowski — the last of these scored four in his single World Cup game in 1938. The top 97 goalscorers have represented 28 nations, with 14 players scoring for Brazil, and another 14 for Germany or West Germany. In total, 64 footballers came from UEFA, 29 from CONMEBOL, and only four from elsewhere: Cameroon, Ghana, Australia, and the United States.
Fontaine holds the record for the most goals scored at a single men's tournament, with 13 goals in 1958. The players that came closest were Kocsis in 1954, Müller in 1970 and Portugal's Eusébio in 1966, with 11, 10 and 9, respectively. The lowest scoring top scorer was in 1962, when six players tied at only four goals each. Across the 21 editions of the men's World Cup finals, 30 footballers have been credited with the most tournament goals, and no one has achieved this feat twice. Nine of them scored at least seven goals in a tournament, while Brazil's Jairzinho became the only footballer to score at least seven goals without being the top goalscorer of that tournament in 1970. These 30 top goalscorers played for 19 nations, the most for Brazil. Another five came from other South American countries, with the remaining 20 coming from Europe. Excluding the 2010 edition, all the top tournament scorers won the Golden Boot.
Overall top male goalscorers
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals scored | Matches played | Tournaments | Notes | |
| 1 | Miroslav Klose♦ | 16 | 24 | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 | list | ||
| 2 | Ronaldo♦ | 15 | 19 | , 1998, 2002, 2006 | list | ||
| 3 | Gerd Müller | 14 | 13 | 1970, 1974 | list | ||
| 4 | Just Fontaine♦ | 13 | 6 | 1958 | list | ||
| 5 | Pelé | 12 | 14 | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 | list | ||
| 6 | Sándor Kocsis♦ | 11 | 5 | 1954 | list | ||
| 6 | Jürgen Klinsmann | 11 | 17 | 1990, 1994, 1998 | list | ||
| 8 | Helmut Rahn | 10 | 10 | 1954, 1958 | list | ||
| 8 | Gary Lineker♦ | 10 | 12 | 1986, 1990 | list | ||
| 8 | Gabriel Batistuta♦ | 10 | 12 | 1994, 1998, 2002 | list | ||
| 8 | Teófilo Cubillas♦ | 10 | 13 | 1970, 1978, | list | ||
| 8 | Thomas Müller# | 10 | 16 | 2010, 2014, | list | ||
| 8 | Grzegorz Lato♦ | 10 | 20 | 1974, 1978, 1982 | list | ||
| 14 | Eusébio♦ | 9 | 6 | 1966 | list | ||
| 14 | Christian Vieri♦ | 9 | 9 | 1998, 2002 | list | ||
| 14 | Vavá | 9 | 10 | 1958, 1962 | |||
| 14 | David Villa♦ | 9 | 12 | 2006, 2010, 2014 | list | ||
| 14 | Paolo Rossi♦ | 9 | 14 | 1978, 1982, | list | ||
| 14 | Jairzinho | 9 | 16 | , 1970, 1974 | list | ||
| 14 | Roberto Baggio♦ | 9 | 16 | 1990, 1994, 1998 | list | ||
| 14 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | 9 | 19 | 1978, 1982, 1986 | list | ||
| 14 | Uwe Seeler | 9 | 21 | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 | |||
| 23 | Guillermo Stábile | 8 | 4 | 1930 | list | ||
| 23 | Leônidas | 8 | 5 | 1934, 1938 | list | ||
| 23 | Ademir | 8 | 6 | 1950 | list | ||
| 23 | Óscar Míguez♦ | 8 | 7 | 1950, 1954 | |||
| 23 | Rivaldo | 8 | 14 | 1998, 2002 | list | ||
| 23 | Rudi Völler | 8 | 15 | 1986, 1990, 1994 | list | ||
| 23 | Diego Maradona | 8 | 21 | 1982, 1986,, 1994 | list | ||
| 30 | Oldřich Nejedlý♦ | 7 | 6 | 1934, 1938 | |||
| 30 | Lajos Tichy | 7 | 8 | 1958, 1962, | list | ||
| 30 | Careca | 7 | 9 | 1986, 1990 | |||
| 30 | Johnny Rep♦ | 7 | 13 | 1974, 1978 | |||
| 30 | Andrzej Szarmach | 7 | 13 | 1974, 1978, 1982 | |||
| 30 | Luis Suárez# | 7 | 13 | 2010, 2014, 2018 | list | ||
| 30 | Hans Schäfer | 7 | 15 | 1954, 1958, | |||
| 30 | Cristiano Ronaldo# | 7 | 17 | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 | list | ||
| 38 | Josef Hügi♦ | 6 | 3 | 1954 | |||
| 38 | Oleg Salenko♦ | 6 | 3 | 1994 | list | ||
| 38 | György Sárosi | 6 | 5 | 1934, 1938 | |||
| 38 | Max Morlock | 6 | 5 | 1954 | |||
| 38 | Erich Probst♦ | 6 | 5 | 1954 | |||
| 38 | Harry Kane# | 6 | 6 | 2018 | list | ||
| 38 | Salvatore Schillaci | 6 | 7 | 1990 | list | ||
| 38 | Davor Šuker♦ | 6 | 8 | , 1998, | list | ||
| 38 | James Rodríguez♦# | 6 | 8 | 2014, | list | ||
| 38 | Helmut Haller | 6 | 9 | , 1966, | |||
| 38 | Hristo Stoichkov♦ | 6 | 10 | 1994, | list | ||
| 38 | Diego Forlán | 6 | 10 | 2002, 2010, | list | ||
| 38 | Neymar# | 6 | 10 | 2014, 2018 | list | ||
| 38 | Asamoah Gyan♦ | 6 | 11 | 2006, 2010, 2014 | list | ||
| 38 | Dennis Bergkamp | 6 | 12 | 1994, 1998 | list | ||
| 38 | Rob Rensenbrink | 6 | 13 | 1974, 1978 | |||
| 38 | Rivellino | 6 | 15 | 1970, 1974, | |||
| 38 | Bebeto | 6 | 15 | , 1994, 1998 | list | ||
| 38 | Arjen Robben | 6 | 15 | 2006, 2010, 2014 | list | ||
| 38 | Zbigniew Boniek | 6 | 16 | 1978, 1982, | list | ||
| 38 | Thierry Henry | 6 | 17 | 1998,, 2006, | list | ||
| 38 | Wesley Sneijder | 6 | 17 | , 2010, 2014 | list | ||
| 38 | Robin van Persie | 6 | 17 | 2006, 2010, 2014 | list | ||
| 38 | Mario Kempes | 6 | 18 | , 1978, | list | ||
| 38 | Lionel Messi# | 6 | 19 | 2006,, 2014, 2018 | list | ||
| 38 | Lothar Matthäus | 6 | 25 | , 1986, 1990, 1994, | |||
| 64 | Pedro Cea | 5 | 4 | 1930 | list | ||
| 64 | Silvio Piola | 5 | 4 | 1938 | |||
| 64 | Gyula Zsengellér | 5 | 4 | 1938 | |||
| 64 | Peter McParland♦ | 5 | 5 | 1958 | list | ||
| 64 | Tomáš Skuhravý | 5 | 5 | 1990 | |||
| 64 | Juan Alberto Schiaffino | 5 | 6 | 1950, 1954 | |||
| 64 | Geoff Hurst | 5 | 6 | 1966, 1970 | list | ||
| 64 | Jon Dahl Tomasson♦ | 5 | 6 | 2002, 2010 | list | ||
| 64 | Alessandro Altobelli | 5 | 7 | 1982, 1986 | |||
| 64 | Kennet Andersson♦ | 5 | 7 | 1994 | list | ||
| 64 | Fernando Morientes | 5 | 7 | 1998, 2002 | list | ||
| 64 | Romário | 5 | 8 | , 1994 | list | ||
| 64 | Marc Wilmots♦ | 5 | 8 | ,, 1998, 2002 | list | ||
| 64 | Mario Mandžukić | 5 | 8 | 2014, 2018 | list | ||
| 64 | Valentin Ivanov | 5 | 9 | 1958, 1962 | list | ||
| 64 | Emilio Butragueño | 5 | 9 | 1986, | list | ||
| 64 | Roger Milla♦ | 5 | 9 | , 1990, 1994 | |||
| 64 | Tim Cahill♦ | 5 | 9 | 2006, 2010, 2014, | list | ||
| 64 | Hans Krankl | 5 | 10 | 1978, 1982 | list | ||
| 64 | Romelu Lukaku♦# | 5 | 10 | 2014, 2018 | list | ||
| 64 | Ivan Perišić# | 5 | 10 | 2014, 2018 | list | ||
| 64 | Raúl | 5 | 11 | 1998, 2002, 2006 | list | ||
| 64 | Garrincha | 5 | 12 | , 1962, 1966 | |||
| 64 | Johan Neeskens | 5 | 12 | 1974, | |||
| 64 | Fernando Hierro | 5 | 12 | , 1994, 1998, 2002 | list | ||
| 64 | Zinedine Zidane | 5 | 12 | 1998,, 2006 | |||
| 64 | Landon Donovan♦ | 5 | 12 | 2002,, 2010 | list | ||
| 64 | Henrik Larsson♦ | 5 | 13 | 1994, 2002, 2006 | list | ||
| 64 | Michel Platini | 5 | 14 | 1978, 1982, 1986 | |||
| 64 | Zico | 5 | 14 | 1978, 1982, | |||
| 64 | Gonzalo Higuaín# | 5 | 14 | 2010, 2014, | list | ||
| 64 | Edinson Cavani# | 5 | 14 | 2010, 2014, 2018 | list | ||
| 64 | Lukas Podolski | 5 | 15 | 2006, 2010, | list | ||
| 64 | Franz Beckenbauer | 5 | 18 | 1966, 1970, | list |
Timeline
| Goals | Date | Player | Team | Goal | Opponent | Score | Tournament & Stage | Previous goals | Ref |
| 1 | 13 7 1930 | Lucien Laurent | Mexico | 4–1 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage | N/A | |||
| 1 | 13 7 1930 | Bart McGhee | Belgium | 3–0 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage | N/A | |||
| 1 | 13 7 1930 | Marcel Langiller | Mexico | 4–1 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage | N/A | |||
| 1 | 13 7 1930 | André Maschinot | Mexico | 4–1 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage | N/A | |||
| 1 | 13 7 1930 | Tom Florie | Belgium | 3–0 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage | N/A | |||
| 1 | 13 7 1930 | Bert Patenaude | Belgium | 3–0 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage | N/A | |||
| 1 | 13 7 1930 | Juan Carreño | France | 1–4 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage | N/A | |||
| 2 | 13 7 1930 | André Maschinot | Mexico | 4–1 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage |
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| 2 | 16 7 1930 | Carlos Vidal | Mexico | 3–0 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage |
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| 2 | 17 7 1930 | Ivan Bek | Bolivia | 4–0 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage |
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| 3 | 17 7 1930 | Ivan Bek | Bolivia | 4–0 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage |
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| 3 | 17 7 1930 | Bert Patenaude | Paraguay | 3–0 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage |
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| 4 | 17 7 1930 | Bert Patenaude | Paraguay | 3–0 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage |
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| 4 | 22 7 1930 | Guillermo Stábile | Chile | 3–1 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage |
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| 5 | 22 7 1930 | Guillermo Stábile | Chile | 3–1 | 1930, Uruguay Group stage |
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| 6 | 26 7 1930 | Guillermo Stábile | United States | 6–1 | 1930, Uruguay Semi-final |
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| 7 | 26 7 1930 | Guillermo Stábile | United States | 6–1 | 1930, Uruguay Semi-final |
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| 8 | 30 7 1930 | Guillermo Stábile | Uruguay | 2–4 | 1930, Uruguay Final |
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| 8 | 19 6 1938 | Leônidas | Sweden | 4–2 | 1938, France 3rd place play-off | ||||
| 8 | 13 7 1950 | Ademir | Spain | 6–1 | 1950, Brazil Final round |
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| 8 | 27 6 1954 | Sándor Kocsis | Brazil | 4–2 | 1954, Switzerland Quarter-final |
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| 9 | 27 6 1954 | Sándor Kocsis | Brazil | 4–2 | 1954, Switzerland Quarter-final |
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| 10 | 30 6 1954 | Sándor Kocsis | Uruguay | 4–2aet | 1954, Switzerland Semi-final |
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| 11 | 30 6 1954 | Sándor Kocsis | Uruguay | 4–2aet | 1954, Switzerland Semi-final |
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| 11 | 28 6 1958 | Just Fontaine | West Germany | 6–3 | 1958, Sweden 3rd place play-off |
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| 12 | 28 6 1958 | Just Fontaine | West Germany | 6–3 | 1958, Sweden 3rd place play-off |
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| 13 | 28 6 1958 | Just Fontaine | West Germany | 6–3 | 1958, Sweden 3rd place play-off |
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| 13 | 3 7 1974 | Gerd Müller | Poland | 1–0 | 1974, West Germany Second round | ||||
| 14 | 6 7 1974 | Gerd Müller | Netherlands | 2–1 | 1974, West Germany Final |
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| 14 | 22 6 2006 | Ronaldo | Japan | 4–1 | 2006, Germany Group stage |
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| 15 | 27 6 2006 | Ronaldo | Ghana | 3–0 | 2006, Germany Round of 16 |
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| 15 | 21 6 2014 | Miroslav Klose | Ghana | 2–2 | 2014, Brazil Group stage |
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| 16 | 8 7 2014 | Miroslav Klose | Brazil | 7–1 | 2014, Brazil Semi-final |
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Top goalscorers for each tournament
| World Cup | Player | Team | Goals scored | Matches played | Golden Boot | Other FIFA Awards |
| 1930 | Guillermo Stábile | 8 | 4 | Silver Ball | ||
| 1934 | Oldřich Nejedlý | 5 | 4 | Bronze Ball | ||
| 1938 | Leônidas | 7 | 5 | Golden Ball | ||
| 1950 | Ademir | 8 | 6 | Bronze Ball | ||
| 1954 | Sándor Kocsis | 11 | 5 | Silver Ball | ||
| 1958 | Just Fontaine | 13 | 6 | Bronze Ball | ||
| 1962 | Garrincha | 4 | 6 | Golden Ball | ||
| 1962 | Vavá | 4 | 6 | |||
| 1962 | Leonel Sánchez | 4 | 6 | Bronze Ball | ||
| 1962 | Flórián Albert | 4 | 4 | Best Young Player | ||
| 1962 | Valentin Ivanov | 4 | 4 | |||
| 1962 | Dražan Jerković | 4 | 6 | |||
| 1966 | Eusébio | 9 | 6 | Bronze Ball | ||
| 1970 | Gerd Müller | 10 | 6 | Best Young Player, Bronze Ball | ||
| 1974 | Grzegorz Lato | 7 | 7 | |||
| 1978 | Mario Kempes | 6 | 7 | Golden Ball | ||
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | 6 | 7 | Golden Ball | ||
| 1986 | Gary Lineker | 6 | 5 | |||
| 1990 | Salvatore Schillaci | 6 | 7 | Golden Ball | ||
| 1994 | Hristo Stoichkov | 6 | 7 | Bronze Ball | ||
| 1994 | Oleg Salenko | 6 | 3 | |||
| 1998 | Davor Šuker | 6 | 7 | Silver Ball | ||
| and 2002 | Ronaldo | 8 | 7 | Silver Ball | ||
| 2006 | Miroslav Klose | 5 | 7 | |||
| 2010 | Thomas Müller | 5 | 7 | Best Young Player | ||
| 2010 | David Villa | 5 | 7 | Silver Boot, Bronze Ball | ||
| 2010 | Wesley Sneijder | 5 | 7 | Bronze Boot, Silver Ball | ||
| 2010 | Diego Forlán | 5 | 7 | Golden Ball | ||
| 2014 | James Rodríguez | 6 | 5 | |||
| 2018 | Harry Kane | 6 | 7 |