Top 10 World Cup Goalscorers Of All Time

With the World Cup just 10 weeks away, Goal.com runs down the Top 10 finals goalscorers of all time…
Please note: players level on the same number of goals are separated by their goal-to-game ratio…




10) Teofilo Cubillas (Peru) – 10 goals (1970, 1978, 1982)

The greatest Peruvian of all time, Cubillas was the inspiration behind his country’s run to the quarter final in 1970. Scored a memorable goal against Scotland eight years later in Argentina.

9) Gary Lineker (England) – 10 goals (1986, 1990)

Top scorer at the 1986 World Cup with six goals. Also struck four times in 1990 as England finished fouth.

8) Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina) – 10 goals (1994, 1998, 2002)

Legendary Argentine striker with a bullet of a right foot. At his peak during the 1994 and 98 editions, but also scored as a veteran in Japan/South Korea.

7) Helmut Rahn (West Germany) – 10 goals (1954, 1958)

‘The Cannon from Essen’ is best remembered for scoring twice in the 1954 final against Hungary, but he was also a star four years later in Sweden. His 10 goals came from just nine games.

6) Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany) – 11 goals (1990, 1994, 1998)

Prolific striker who excelled in three straight World Cups and forged an impressive partnership with Rudi Voller.

5) Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) – 11 goals (1954)

Like Just Fontaine further down this list, Kocsis only played in one World Cup but was a key player in the magnificent Hungary team of 1954, scoring in every game apart from the shock final defeat to West Germany.

4) Pele (Brazil) – 12 goals (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970)

‘The King’ burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old in 1958, scoring twice in the final win over Sweden and hit the back of the net again in the final 12 years later during the 4-1 thumping of Italy.

3) Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals (1958)

The striker only ever played in one World Cup, but remains to this day the top-scorer in a single tournament with 13 as France finished third in 1958.

2) Gerd Muller (West Germany) – 14 goals (1970, 1974)

Arguably the best penalty box striker of all time, Muller hit 10 as West Germany finished third in 1970, and then four in 1974 as Holland were defeated in the final.

1) Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15 goals (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006)

Legendary Brazilian, who is best remembered for his exploits at the 2002 World Cup where his eight goals, including two in the final, led the Selecao to glory.