The Greatest Goal Scorers in World Cup History

Miroslav Klose

Klose played in the German national football team for four different World Cup tournaments. He scored a total of 16 goals in the competition and is the current top goalscorer in the World Cup. He had his World Cup debut in the 2002 competition at the age of 24. In his first match, he scored a hattrick against Saudi Arabia, and the match ended 8-0 to Germany. He ended that edition of the World Cup with 5 goals. In 2006, Klose scored 5 more goals, and in 2010 he scored 4 more goals, but Germany did not manage to win the World Cup in either competition. Finally, in 2014, Klose scored 2 more goals, in what would be his final World Cup, and he finally won a World Cup winner's medal.

Ronaldo

Considered by many as the best player of his generation, Ronaldo scored 15 goals across three World Cups from 1998 to 2006. He scored 4 goals in the 1998 competition and brought Brazil to the finals. There they lost in one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history. In the following edition of the World Cup, Ronaldo scored 8 goals, and this time Brazil won the finals, beating Germany 2-0. Ronaldo scored both goals in the finals, cementing his position as one of the World Cup greats. In 2006, Ronaldo scored three goals but Brazil only went as far as the quarterfinals, where they were knocked out by France.

Gerd Muller

Germans will remember this great player who scored 14 goals for his country in the World Cups of 1970 and 1974. In his first World Cup he scored an incredible 10 goals, though it was not enough to inspire the German team to win the title. They were knocked out in the quarterfinals by Italy in a match that was decided by penalties. Returning in 1974, Muller scored 4 goals, including the winning goal in the final when Germany beat the Netherlands 2-1. Germany became world champions for the second time in their history, and Muller was an integral part of the victory.

Just Fontaine

Fontaine is by far the most obscure player on this list, though he did score 13 goals for France in the World Cup. What is quite extraordinary is that he scored all of his goals in a single competition. In 1958, Fontaine scored 6 goals across the group stage matches, 2 in the quarter finals and 1 in the semi-finals, though France lost to Brazil. In the third place playoffs against West Germany, Fontaine scored 4 more goals, becoming the top goal scorer in that edition of the World Cup, and helping France to a third place position.

Pele

One of the most famous football players in the world, Pele's story with the World Cup is one of legend. He scored a total of 12 goals in the competition. Pele made his debut in the 1954 World Cup at the age of 17, and scored 6 goals in that edition of the tournament, scoring twice in the finals against the host nation Sweden, and winning Brazil their first World Cup title. Pele played in the 1962 World Cup, although he only scored one goal in the competition after injuring himself early in the competition. Despite that, Brazil still managed to win the competition. In 1970, Pele captained Brazil and scored 4 goals in the World Cup, leading his team to a third World Cup title.

Sandor Kocsis

This Hungarian player scored a total of 11 goals in the World Cup of 1954. Playing alongside legendary Hungarian striker Ferenc Puskas, Kocsis scored 7 goals in the group stage, 2 in the quarter finals against Brazil and 2 more against Uruguay in the semi-finals. Hungary lost the final to Germany, which surprised many as Hungary had previously beat Germany in the group stages 8-3. Unfortunately, Kocsis and the rest of the Hungarian team never featured together in a World Cup after 1954, because many players left the country after the 1956 Hungarian revolution.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Some current football fans may know Klinsmann as the manager of the United States or Bayern Munich, but this former striker scored 11 goals in the World Cup. He played in the competitions in 1990, 1994 and 1998. In his debut World Cup, Klinsmann scored three goals and helped Germany win the World Cup. Already a World Cup winner, he scored 5 goals in the competition of 1994 and helped put Germany through to the quarterfinals. In 1998, Klinsmann scored 3 more goals for Germany but his team only went as far as the quarterfinals, where they were knocked out by Croatia in a surprise defeat.