Haaland, Mbappé and Messi Need Six Goals to Make World Cup History
The trio needs six goals each to match Justin Fontaine's 13 from 1958. Brazil has three names in the all-time top 10. Everything you need to know about the World Cup scoring race.
Thirteen goals in a single World Cup. That is the number that has haunted every top scorer since 1958, when Frenchman Just Fontaine made history in Sweden. Now, three of the biggest names in the modern game are chasing that mark — and time is running out.
Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi each need at least six more goals in the remaining rounds to draw level with Fontaine, according to Transfermarkt. Three matches remain: Argentina vs Egypt, Norway vs England and France vs Morocco. Whoever loses bows out of the tournament — and out of the record race.
Brazil, meanwhile, has three representatives in the all-time top-10 scorers for a single edition. Ademir de Menezes leads the Brazilian list with 9 goals in 1950. Ronaldo follows with 8 goals in 2002 — the same year he lifted the trophy. And Jairzinho, hero of the unforgettable 1970 title run, appears with 7 goals from that tournament.
It is no coincidence: the two Brazilians who scored the most goals in a single edition were champions in that very same tournament. The Golden Boot and the title tend to go hand in hand.
On the Argentine side, Golmetria's model gives Argentina a 22% chance of winning the title — keeping Messi alive in both the trophy race and the hunt for Fontaine's record. The market, based on available data, is more sceptical: the implied probability from the odds comes in at just under 10%.
Six goals. Three games. The clock is ticking — and history is waiting.