Miroslav Klose Expects World Cup Scoring Record to Fall in 2026, Wants Messi Over Mbappe to Break It

Miroslav Klose has acknowledged that the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America is likely to see his all-time tournament scoring record broken, and the German legend has made clear which player he would prefer to claim that historic distinction.

Speaking to German outlet Süddeutsche Zeitung, Klose was direct about the outlook for his record: “I expect my record to be broken at this World Cup. This is an expanded edition, there are more matches and therefore more opportunities to score. Both Messi and Mbappe will go far, and that is absolutely fine; the record was always going to be broken eventually.”

The 2026 edition of the tournament features an expanded format of 48 teams, up from the previous 32, creating a longer competition with more fixtures and, consequently, more goalscoring opportunities for leading forwards across all participating nations.

Klose set his record of 16 World Cup goals during Germany’s triumphant 2014 campaign in Brazil, where he surpassed Brazilian icon Ronaldo Nazário to become the competition’s all-time leading scorer. The milestone had stood for over a decade heading into the current tournament.

Now serving as manager of German club Nürnberg, Klose was asked whether he had a preference between Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe — the two players most frequently cited as capable of surpassing his tally — and he did not hesitate in his response.

“If it happens, I would be pleased if it were Messi. I have always been a huge fan of his, he is a genius,” Klose said. He also cited a personal connection to the Argentine setup, adding: “I also have great respect for the coach of Argentina. Back in our Lazio days I showed him around the city, took him to see everything. We are good friends.”

The coach Klose referred to is Lionel Scaloni, who played for Lazio during a period that overlapped with Klose’s time at the Italian club. Scaloni has managed Argentina since 2018 and led the side to Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, as well as the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar — Messi’s first and only World Cup triumph.

Messi, 38, is competing at what is widely expected to be his final World Cup. He currently holds 13 World Cup goals across five tournaments, placing him within striking distance of Klose’s record should Argentina advance deep into the knockout rounds. Mbappe, 27, enters the tournament with nine World Cup goals to his name, including four from the 2022 final alone, in which France lost to Argentina on penalties.

Both players are expected to feature heavily as their respective nations progress through the group stage and into the knockout bracket. Messi and Mbappe are also club teammates at Paris Saint-Germain, adding an additional layer of intrigue to their parallel pursuit of the record.

The race to eclipse Klose’s 16-goal mark is shaping up as one of the defining storylines of the 2026 World Cup, with the expanded format ensuring both players will have maximum opportunity to close the gap should their teams continue advancing.