98 days to the World Cup: The greatest goalscorers in tournament history

The countdown to the 2026 World Cup is on! Each day ahead of the tournament’s return to North America, Yahoo Sports will highlight an insight or moment that showcases just how grand the world’s biggest sporting spectacle has become — even beyond the expanded field of this year’s global event.

This summer marks the 23rd edition of the World Cup, a tournament that’s produced 964 total matches and 2,720 total goals scored since the first event in 1930. That’s nearly a century of unforgettable moments, meltdowns and magic.

But when it comes to the biggest stage, one question lingers: Who owns it?

No player has scored more World Cup goals than Miroslav Klose, who turned consistency in the attack into history. The German striker leads all players with 16 total World Cup goals in 24 matches. Klose scored five World Cup goals in both 2002 and 2006, added four more in 2010 and chipped in twice during Germany's run to a fourth championship in 2014. Across 137 appearances for his country Klose built quite the résumé, but those 16 goals made him a legend.

Right behind Klose all time is Ronaldo — no, not that Ronaldo.

Ronaldo Nazário played 98 times for Brazil and was a member of teams that went to three straight World Cup finals. While he did not play during the 1994 tournament, he scored four times in 1998 and eight times in 2002 when his country won a fifth title. In his final World Cup in 2006, Ronaldo scored three goals as Brazil's quest for a repeat ended in the quarterfinals to France.

World Cup all-time leading goalscorers

16: Miroslav Klose, Germany (24 matches, 4 World Cups)

15: Ronaldo Nazário, Brazil (19 matches, 4 World Cups)

14: Gerd Müller, West Germany (13 matches, 2 World Cups)

13: Just Fontaine, France (6 matches, 1 World Cup)

13: Lionel Messi, Argentina (26 matches, 5 World Cups)

12: Kylian Mbappé, France (14 matches, 2 World Cups)

12: Pelé, Brazil (14 matches, 4 World Cups)