Top World Cup Goal Scorers of All Time

There are plenty of World Cup scoring records to go around when debating the top World Cup goal scorers of all time. German Miroslav Klose owns the all-time total goals mark with 16. Ronaldo Nazario of Brazil, Kylian Mbappe of France, and Pelé of Brazil all also live near the top of the board.

But the best World Cup goal scorers are not defined by one metric. Some players owned one tournament. Some stretched their scoring across multiple eras. For example, this first guy is a household name, and while he doesn't rank highly on the all-time total goals list, he owns a record that will be extremely difficult to break.

Betting odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook's World Cup odds and are subject to change after this article is published.

How to bet on the 2026 World Cup.

Best World Cup Goalscorers of All Time

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

How did Cristiano Ronaldo become the most followed person in the world on Instagram? It's not for his off-field life. It's because he's one of the top World Cup goal scorers of all time.

Ronaldo netted his first-ever World Cup goal back in 2006 and has notched goals in every single cup since. Guess what? He's suiting up again in North America in 2026, although at the age of 41, he's unlikely to start for a talented Portugal squad. We don't want to say they don't need him, but … they don't need him. He's Miguel Cabrera for Team Venezuela in 2023.

Ronaldo has scored 8 World Cup goals for Portugal, placing him outside the very top group but still a legend in his own right. His best scoring World Cup came in 2018 in Russia when he opened Portugal's tournament with a hat trick against Spain. Portugal was under pressure that day. Spain had more of the ball, and Ronaldo still got off 3 brilliant strikes.

Ronaldo's World Cup case as the top World Cup goal scorer of all time is not as tidy as Messi's, Pelé's, or the other Ronaldo's (the Brazilian one) because Portugal never reached a final with him. That matters. A scorer's ceiling is tied to his team's path, as is his legacy.

Eusebio, Portugal

Before Ronaldo became Portugal's global soccer billboard, Eusebio gave the country its first true World Cup scoring monster.

Eusebio scored 9 goals at the 1966 World Cup in England, won the Golden Boot, and carried Portugal to a 3rd-place finish. That was Portugal's World Cup debut, which makes the whole run borderline ridiculous, as most teams show up for their first World Cup trying to force a draw in a couple of group matches and call it a moral victory. Portugal arrived with Eusebio and immediately started swinging like it had been there forever.

Eusebio's signature game came in the quarter-final against North Korea. Portugal fell behind 3-0, which in a knockout match usually means the fat lady is backstage warming up her voice. Eusebio answered with 4 straight goals. Count 'em. Four. Portugal won 5-3 on the back of one of the greatest individual performances in World Cup history. Eusebio grabbed the match by the collar and dragged Portugal into the semis.

Eusebio's 1966 tournament lives in that perfect pocket between old-school legend and modern betting relevance. The event was not as long as today's expanded format, so a 9-goal haul still lands with real weight, as does his 1.5 goals per match.

For a World Cup betting audience, Eusebio is the bright reminder that Golden Boot winners do not need to play for the champion. Portugal did not win in 1966. They finished 3rd. But Eusebio had enough matches (especially with the 3rd-place game), enough usage, penalty responsibility, and complete control of the attack to run away with the scoring race anyway.

David Villa, Spain

Spain's 2010 World Cup title usually gets filed as a team win. Controlling possession. Death by a thousand passes. Tiki taka. That framing is fair, but it can hide the biggest scoring truth of that whole run, which is that Spain needed David Villa to go off to win that title.

Villa scored 9 World Cup goals across his career and remains Spain's all-time leader in the competition. His 2010 tournament was the sun run. He scored 5 goals in South Africa and carried an attack that lived on razor-thin margins, which is wild for a team remembered as one of the great control sides in World Cup history.

Spain won all 4 knockout matches in 2010 by 1-0 scores. Villa provided the goal in 2 of them: the Round of 16 against Portugal and the quarter-final against Paraguay.

His style fit Spain perfectly because he could drift wide, dart into the box, and finish from awkward angles without demanding that the whole system bend around him. He was not a classic No. 9 parked between center-backs. He was slipperier than that. Spain had the ball, while he had the tool.

Jairzinho, Brazil

Jairzinho owns one of the coolest scoring records in World Cup history. He scored in every match Brazil played at the 1970 World Cup: 6 games, and 6 times on the score sheet. No nights off or bad outings.

That record alone gets him into this article. Brazil's 1970 team is still held up as one of the greatest teams ever assembled, and Jairzinho was not just along for the ride. Pelé was the headliner, of course, because Pelé tends to be the headliner even when the topic is someone else. But Jairzinho's scoring consistency gave that Brazil side a brutal 1-2 punch.

Jairzinho opened with a goal against Czechoslovakia, scored the winner against England, then hit again against Romania, Peru, Uruguay, and Italy. That means he scored in the group stage, quarterfinal, semifinal, and final. Most players would build a career highlight reel out of one of those moments. Jairzinho upstaged Pelé by checking all the boxes in one tournament.

Diego Maradona, Argentina

Diego Maradona scored 8 World Cup goals, which puts him behind several players on the all-time list. In his prime, though, he could score on anyone. Maradona deserves a spot in any article detailing great goal scorers, because D10S was certainly that.

Some goals change tournaments and become iconic moments. Maradona had 2 such goals in the same match. His 1986 quarterfinal against England is arguably the most famous individual game in World Cup history. The first goal was the Hand of God, a controversial goal in which Maradona may or may not have gotten away with knocking the ball down with his hand. The second SportsCenter Top-10 play for Maradona in that match was the so-called Goal of the Century, a solo run through England that looked like how a middle-school kid plays his FIFA video game. Just hold the sprint button, spam stick moves, and hope for the best.

Maradona finished the 1986 World Cup with 5 goals and 5 assists as Argentina won the title. That balance is the key. He was not a pure striker hunting tap-ins. He was the real deal. The full presentation. Argentina did not just ask him to score, but to control all aspects of the offense.

His World Cup scoring story stretches beyond 1986, too. He scored twice in 1982 and once in 1994, giving him 8 total goals across 4 tournaments. But everything orbits his show in Mexico in 1986. Plenty of players have scored more World Cup goals than Maradona, but nobody has scored more famous ones.

Who will lead the 2026 World Cup in goals? Here's the Golden Boot odds for 2026 as well as our Golden Boot picks and best bets.

Check out all of our 2026 World Cup content.

Frequently Asked Questions About World Cup Betting

What is the most popular World Cup bet?

Outright winner (who lifts the trophy) is the most popular single futures market. Match-by-match, the moneyline is the most popular individual game bet, followed by total goals over/under.

Does a draw count in World Cup match betting?

Yes, in group stage betting, all three outcomes — home win, draw, away win — are valid results. In knockout stage betting, most markets apply to 90 minutes only, meaning a draw after 90 minutes is a valid result even if extra time and penalties determine the actual winner. Always check FanDuel's market description.

What happens to my bet if a match goes to extra time?

If you bet on a team to "win" the match on FanDuel and the game ends in a draw after 90 minutes, your bet typically loses (for moneyline bets) or voids (for draw no bet markets). The "to advance" market covers extra time and penalties and is a separate bet type.

When is the 2026 World Cup Final?

The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 World Cup?

Spain leads the betting board at +450 on FanDuel Sportsbook, followed by France at +550 and England at +650.

Who is defending champion at the 2026 World Cup?

Argentina are the defending champions, having won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in a penalty shootout against France.

YourWay puts the power of the sportsbook in your hands. Now you can adjust lines, customize player props, and get instant odds when you create bets you can't find anywhere else! Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Which soccer bets stand out to you? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's soccer odds to see the full menu of options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.