Miroslav Klose, the all-time top goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history with 16 goals, has admitted that his long-standing record is likely to be broken in the near future.
Speaking to the German newspaper Bild, the 2014 World Cup winner with Germany named Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé as the leading candidates to surpass him.
“I’m sure my World Cup goalscoring record will be broken soon. Either Lionel Messi will do it at this World Cup, or at the latest, Kylian Mbappé at the next one,” Klose said.
With the 2026 tournament just five months away, Messi (13 goals) and Mbappé (12 goals) are closing in on Klose’s tally, while legends such as Ronaldo Nazário (15) and Gerd Müller (14) also remain among the top three all-time scorers.
Klose highlighted key differences between eras that could benefit modern stars, noting that he was never Germany’s primary penalty taker during his international career — a role that Messi and Mbappé currently hold for their respective national teams.
The retired striker, who is now head coach of Nürnberg in Germany’s second division, expressed no bitterness about the possibility of losing his record, instead offering a realistic assessment of today’s attacking output and the increased longevity of players in the modern game.
