Kylian Mbappe chases Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goalscoring record
France captain Kylian Mbappe needs five goals at the 2026 World Cup in North America to surpass Miroslav Klose and become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
The 27-year-old currently sits on 12 goals from just 14 appearances across two previous editions of football’s biggest global event.
The prolific forward boasts a remarkable strike rate on the international stage, averaging nearly a goal per game after a stunning eight-goal haul in Qatar.
Chasing down German and Brazilian legends
Former Germany international Klose holds the current honour with 16 goals.
The legendary striker claimed the ultimate milestone during the 2014 tournament by surpassing Brazil icon Ronaldo, who scored 15 times during his illustrious career.
To claim the record outright, the former Parisian requires exactly five more goals.
A four-goal return would see the rapid attacker tie with Klose at the summit of the historic standings.
Reaching this milestone appears highly likely given his explosive history, having scored four times in 2018 and eight times during the 2022 competition.
The Messi factor and group stage opportunities
The European heavyweights have been drawn in Group I alongside Senegal, Norway and Iraq for the upcoming North American showpiece.
Expectations will be high for the French talisman to immediately close the gap during these opening group stage fixtures.
However, his former Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Lionel Messi remains a genuine threat to his historic quest.
The legendary Argentine inspired his nation to penalty shootout glory over France in the 2022 final, taking his own World Cup tally to 13 goals.
Despite turning 39 during the next tournament, the veteran playmaker needs just four goals himself to become the standalone record holder.