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Miroslav Klose, the man who holds the most coveted individual record in international football, thinks his reign is about to end. And he’s surprisingly fine with it.
In an interview with German outlet Bild, Klose expressed his belief that his 16-goal World Cup record will be surpassed at the 2026 tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. His preferred successor: Lionel Messi.
The numbers tell the story
Messi currently sits on 13 World Cup goals, meaning he needs just three to tie Klose and four to claim the record outright. The 2026 World Cup expands to 48 teams, which means more group stage matches and, for teams that advance deep into the bracket, potentially more games than any previous edition of the tournament.
“I’m sure my goal-scoring record at the World Cup will be broken soon. Either Messi will do it at this World Cup, or at the latest, Kylian Mbappé in the next one.”
That quote from Klose captures a graceful acceptance that records, even ones built across four World Cups from 2002 to 2014, are ultimately meant to fall.
The Mbappé factor
Klose didn’t just name one heir apparent. He named two.
Kylian Mbappé has nine World Cup goals to his name, putting him four behind Messi and seven behind Klose’s record. He burst onto the scene in 2018 as a teenager, scoring four goals to help France lift the trophy. Then in 2022, he scored a hat trick in the final against Argentina, a performance that ended in heartbreak after a penalty shootout loss.
Klose himself knows this better than anyone. His 16 goals came across four tournaments spanning 12 years. Consistency at the World Cup requires not just individual brilliance but a team good enough to keep advancing.
Why this record matters
Klose’s 16 goals came in 24 World Cup appearances. Before him, the record belonged to Ronaldo (the Brazilian one) with 15. Before that, Gerd Müller held it with 14.
The 2026 tournament kicks off in June across venues in three countries. It will be the first World Cup held in North America since the US hosted alone in 1994, and the expanded format represents FIFA’s biggest structural change to the competition in decades.
Three goals. That’s the gap between Messi and a tie with Klose. Given that Messi scored seven goals across the 2022 tournament, including two in the final, the target is well within reach. Klose clearly thinks it’s a matter of when, not if.
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