World Cup records: Messi and Mbappe in the fight for the title of the best

World Cup records: Messi and Mbappe in the fight for the title of the best

According to Sports.

Context

Lionel Messi, who became the top scorer in the history of the World Cup, continues his career in the Argentina national team. His records and achievements at the 2026 FIFA World Cup underline his unique position in football, where he has already played in six World Cups. It is important to note that his rivalry with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo adds further interest to the tournament.

Why is this important

Lionel Messi's achievements at the 2026 World Cup cement his status as one of the greatest footballers in history. With a new record of 21 goals, he surpassed Miraslav Klose and continues to inspire future generations of players. While Kylian Mbappe is also showing outstanding form, the battle for the title of top scorer at the World Cup is becoming increasingly tense.

Key takeaways

• World Cup records: Messi and Mbappe in the fight for the title of the best.
• Lionel Messi became the top scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals, surpassing Miraslav Klose.
• World Cup records: Appearances, scoring leaders as Messi leads Mbappe... for the moment - Yahoo Sports.

The debate over Lionel Messi's status in football history continues as he has now become the top scorer in FIFA World Cup history. Messi scored a hat-trick in his first match at the 2026 World Cup, allowing him to equal Miraslav Klose for the most goals in the tournament (16). He then added two more goals against Austria, setting a new record of 21 World Cup goals.

But despite Messi's achievements, he is chased by Kylian Mbappe, who has scored 20 goals and has the potential to finish this tournament with the second-most goalscoring tally in history.

At the World Cup, records are not limited to just the number of goals. There are also records for the number of matches played, with Messi famously becoming one of the first players to play in six World Cups. He made his debut at the tournament in 2006, and in 2026 he played in his sixth World Cup.

Records for most goals at the World Cup:
Active players are highlighted in bold:

• Lionel Messi, 21 (32 matches)
• Kylian Mbappe, 20 (20 matches)
• Miraslav Klose, 16 (24 matches)
• Ronaldo, 15 (19 matches)
• Gerd Müller, 14 (13 matches)
• Harry Kane, 14 (17 matches)
• Juste Fontaine, 13 (6 matches)
• Pele, 12 (14 matches)
• Sandor Kocsis, 11 (5 matches)
• Jurgen Klinsmann, 11 (17 matches)
• Cristiano Ronaldo, 11 (27 matches)


Records for most appearances at the World Cup:
Active players are highlighted in bold:

• Lionel Messi, 32
• Cristiano Ronaldo, 27
• Lothar Matthäus, 25
• Miraslav Klose, 24
• Paolo Maldini, 23
• Manuel Neuer, 23
• Diego Maradona, 21
• Uwe Zeller, 21
• Vladislav Zmuda, 21
• Ivan Perisic, 21
• Thibaut Courtois, 21
• Cafu, 20
• Philipp Lahm, 20
• Grzegorz Lato, 20
• Hugo Lloris, 20
• Javier Mascherano, 20
• Bastian Schweinsteiger, 20
• Kylian Mbappe, 20

The following active players: Luka Modric, 19; Fernando Muslera, 18; Ivan Perisic, 17; Thibaut Courtois, 17.

Who played the most World Cup tournaments? Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi became the first players to play in six World Cups, making their debut at the tournament in 2006. Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is the third player to be named to his national team at six World Cups, although he did not play in the 2006 and 2010 tournaments. Nine other players have also been in the squads for five World Cups, with active players Manuel Neuer (Germany), Luka Modric (Croatia), Fernando Muslera (Uruguay) and Yuto Nagatomo (Japan) among them.

Who scored the most goals in tournaments?Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in six World Cups, overtaking Messi, who scored in five tournaments before this summer.

What happens next

Given the current form of Messi and Mbappe, the upcoming matches at the 2026 World Cup could be decisive in determining not only the winner of the tournament, but also the final goals records. Both players are expected to continue to deliver outstanding performances, which could lead to new records and exciting moments for viewers. Fans around the world are eagerly awaiting how events will turn out at this prestigious tournament.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened at the 2026 World Cup?

Lionel Messi became the top scorer in the history of the World Cup with 21 goals.

Who confirmed Messi's records?

Messi's records were confirmed by statistics from the World Cup.

Why are Messi’s records being discussed now?

The discussion of Messi's records is relevant in connection with his performance at the 2026 World Cup.

What changes have occurred in the records for the number of goals?

Messi updated his record to 21 World Cup goals, ahead of Miraslav Klose.

What are the records for the number of matches played at the World Cup?

Messi became one of the first players to play in six World Cups, with 32 appearances.

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