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FIFA WC 2022 | Can Thomas Muller break Miroslav Klose’s record?
The countdown for the FIFA World Cup 2022 has started as teams across the globe are in the final stages of their preparations for the global event that kick-starts in Qatar this Sunday (November 20).
Alongside the tournament itself, the countdown for some records has also begun and one such record is the Most Goals in the World Cup. Currently held by Germany’s Miroslav Klose with 16 goals, his countrymen Thomas Muller can give him a close call, so can he set a new record for most goals in FIFA World Cup history?
Can Muller go all the way?
Currently, the Bayern Munich ace is the top highest active goal scorer ahead of Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi. Muller has scored 10 goals in three World Cups in his career which spans for a total of 16 World Cup matches. As things stand, he needs six goals from what will likely be his final World Cup.
Highest Scorers in FIFA World Cup history
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals scored | Matches played | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 16 | 24 | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 |
| 2 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 15 | 19 | 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 |
| 3 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 14 | 13 | 1970, 1974 |
| 4 | Just Fontaine | France | 13 | 6 | 1958 |
| 5 | Pelé | Brazil | 12 | 14 | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 |
| 6 | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 11 | 5 | 1954 |
| Jürgen Klinsmann | Germany | 17 | 1990, 1994, 1998 | ||
| 8 | Thomas Müller | Germany | 10 | 16 | 2010, 2014, 2018 |
Not for the first time
Muller, 33, scored six goals in the 2010 edition of the FIFA World Cup where Germany were eliminated in the semifinal by Spain. Muller was the Golden Boot winner for Most Goals scored and knows what it takes to score at the big events. He has so far had a productive season with Bayern and could bring that form onto the table.
In the 2014 edition, where Germany went all the way to lift the holy grail, the German talisman scored four goals to take his tally to double figures. Unfortunately for Muller, it was an unforgettable campaign in Russia in 2018 when Germany crashed out in the group stage and he could not add to his tally. Despite that disappointment, Muller has been in excellent touch at the World Cup and he could bring his ‘A-Game’ to the table and clinch the record.
Who is in the way?
To go past Klose, Muller will have to negotiate his path with two greats of the game from his country. Firstly Thomas will have to surpass Jürgen Klinsmann who scored 11 goals in three World Cups while next on the list is the man who held the record for most goals at the World Cup for 32 years, Gerd Muller.
Gerd scored 14 goals in two World Cups while Brazilian Ronaldo is on 15 goals in four World Cups and broke the record for most goals in 2006. It now remains to be seen whether Thomas can break Klose’s record and become the all-time leading goal scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup.
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