News Focus
- Lionel Messi scores a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory against Algeria
- The Inter Miami forward now has 16 World Cup goals, matching Miroslav Klose’s all-time record
- Kylian Mbappé nets twice for France against Senegal to reach 14 career goals in the tournament
- England captain Harry Kane sits on eight goals and eyes a place among the top scorers
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has written his name into the history books by equalling the greatest goal-scoring record in FIFA World Cup history. The forward struck three times during his nation’s opening 3-0 triumph over Algeria. These goals bring his tournament total to 16, drawing him level with German legend Miroslav Klose.
However, the Inter Miami star faces strong competition from France’s Kylian Mbappé. The French attacker scored two goals in his team’s first match against Senegal. These strikes take his overall tally to 14 goals since he first played in the competition eight years ago. Many fans expect Messi to break the record before the tournament ends, yet Mbappé’s scoring speed suggests he could also pass the current mark.
Data from Transfermarkt shows the full list of the top 20 goal scorers in World Cup history. When players have the same number of goals, the person with fewer matches played gets the higher position. Meanwhile, England fans hope Harry Kane can move up into this elite group. The England captain currently has eight goals and needs a strong run in the competition to join the top names.