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Super Strikers: World Cup’s Top Goal Scorers

Playing in the FIFA World Cup is the ultimate dream of every football player. Scoring in just one match will make it more fulfilling.

And for that, we take a look at the hottest boots that graced the sport’s biggest stage

Miroslav Klose – 16 goals

Germany’s record goal scorer tops the list, in which he did it in four World Cups. Klose had five goals in each of his first two appearances in 2002 and 2006 respectively, the latter in which they host.

After a four-goal haul in South Africa, he had two in Brazil, including the second of their 7-1 win in the semifinal that surpassed Ronaldo’s old record. After their defeat of Argentina in the final, Klose took home the World Cup on the fourth try.

Ronaldo – 15 goals

The Brazilian legend have done so in three World Cups, in which he was part of the victorious 1994 squad as an unused teenager.

Ronaldo came of age in the 1998 edition in France, where his four goals were only good for joint third-best alongside Chile’s Marcelo Salas and Mexico’s Luis Hernandez, and was more infamous for his performance in the final against the hosts.

Four years later, he romped the field in South Korea and Japan with his lone golden boot in the tournament, scoring eight including a brace against Germany in the final at Yokohama as Ronaldo and co. scored their fifth star.

Afterwards, he broke Gerd Muller’s record in Dortmund against Ghana in the Last 16, with Ronaldo scoring thrice in the 2006 edition.

Gerd Muller – 14 goals

The bomb only did so in a pair of World Cups, and who knows might what have been had the late Gerd Muller would have said if he did not retire at just 27.

Muller won the Golden Boot in the 1970 edition as he scored ten goals in Mexico, including a pair of hat-tricks in the group stage, as well as the winner against England and a brace against Italy in the Game of the Century in Aztecaa.

The former Bayern legend added four on their homestand, including a 43rd minute winner against the Netherlands in the final.

Just Fontaine – 13 goals

The French international did just that in 1958 in Sweden.

What’s more astounding is the crazy ratio: he scored 13 goals in just six matches – a feat that included putting four on holder sWest Germany.

His thirteen strikes were a record in a single tournament.

Pele – 12 goals

The Greatest of All Time scored in four World Cups.

He came of age in the 1958 edition as a 17-year-old, where he scored six goals in Brazil’s last four wins to take their maiden title. A dry spell followed in Chile and in England where he only scored once each.

However, he made a fitting farewell to the tournament in Mexico 70, as the Selecao leaned on his four goals to supplant Jairzinho’s seven, with Pele added a record third World Cup for him.