Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are facing what will likely be their final opportunity to cement themselves as the highest-scoring players in World Cup history. While Messi’s participation in the 2026 tournament has yet to be officially confirmed—a topic recently addressed by Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos—it is widely understood that this edition will be his last.
The same reality applies to Ronaldo, who will be 45 by the time the 2030 World Cup arrives, making his continued activity at that level highly improbable. Consequently, the 2026 tournament represents a final chance for both icons to dethrone Germany’s Miroslav Klose, the current record holder.
Klose currently leads the all-time list with 16 goals scored across four different tournaments. Messi is the closest active challenger with 13 goals in five editions, while Ronaldo sits further back with 8 goals, also recorded across five appearances.
Messi and Ronaldo face tough competition
While the Argentine icon is just three goals shy of equaling the historic mark, the Portuguese superstar would need to net eight goals to do the same—a daunting task, though not impossible for a scorer of Ronaldo’s caliber.
Lionel Messi celebrates a goal vs Mexico in Qatar 2022. (Getty Images)
However, Messi and Ronaldo are not the only players eyeing the crown. They face stiff competition from other modern stars, most notably Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman has already amassed 12 goals in just two tournaments, while England’s Harry Kane sits at eight goals from two editions.
Tuchel suggests England depend on Harry Kane like Argentina on Messi and Portugal on Ronaldo
The defining difference between these groups is longevity: while Mbappe and Kane are expected to feature in several future World Cups, 2026 represents the final farewell for Messi and Ronaldo on the world stage.
Ronaldo holds a unique World Cup record
While Cristiano Ronaldo faces long odds to finish as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, the Portuguese captain already holds a distinct record in the tournament’s history.
Ronaldo is the only player to have scored a goal in five different editions of the World Cup. His historic run began in Germany 2006 (1 goal), followed by single tallies in South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014. He achieved his most prolific output in Russia 2018 with four goals, before adding another in Qatar 2022 to finalize his unprecedented streak.
