The World Cup is the most prestigious football tournament in the world, and scoring a goal in this tournament is a dream for every football player. However, scoring multiple goals in the World Cup is an achievement that only a few players have been able to accomplish. In this article, we will explore who holds the record for scoring the most goals in World Cup history.
The Record Holder
The record for scoring the most goals in World Cup history is held by Miroslav Klose, a former German striker. Klose scored 16 goals in four editions of the World Cup (2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014). He surpassed Brazilian legend Ronaldo’s record of 15 goals during the 2014 World Cup.
Miroslav Klose’s Career
Miroslav Klose was born on June 9th, 1978 in Opole, Poland. He started his professional career with FC Homburg in Germany before moving to Kaiserslautern and then to Werder Bremen. It was at Werder Bremen where he caught the eye of many big clubs including Bayern Munich.
Klose played for Bayern Munich from 2007 to 2011 before moving to Lazio in Italy where he spent four seasons. He retired from professional football after his stint with Lazio.
Klose’s Performance at The World Cup
Klose made his World Cup debut in 2002 held in South Korea and Japan where he scored five goals to help Germany reach the final but lost to Brazil. In the subsequent edition held on home soil (Germany), he scored another five goals and helped Germany reach third place.
In the 2010 edition held in South Africa, he scored four goals but couldn’t help Germany go beyond the semi-finals. Four years later, in the 2014 World Cup held in Brazil, Klose scored only two goals but broke Ronaldo’s record of 15 goals in the tournament.
Other Top Scorers
Gerd Muller, a former German striker, is the second-highest scorer in World Cup history with 14 goals. He scored this many goals during the editions of 1970 and 1974. Brazilian legend Pele and Just Fontaine of France are third and fourth respectively with 12 and 13 goals.
Conclusion
Miroslav Klose’s record of scoring 16 goals in World Cup history is an exceptional achievement. His ability to score crucial goals in major tournaments made him a valuable asset to his team. While there have been other great goal scorers throughout the history of the World Cup, Klose’s record may stand for a long time to come.