Players Who Scored in Three or More World Cups
The World Cup occurs once every four years, allowing most elite players to participate in the tournament a maximum of two or three times.
Pelé made history by playing in four World Cups and winning three titles, a record that may remain unmatched—particularly if the four-year interval between tournaments continues.
In contrast, Lionel Messi achieved World Cup victory on his fifth attempt, while Mexico’s Rafa Márquez stands as the sole player to have captained his team in five World Cup editions.
Across the decades, a distinguished group of footballers has scored in multiple tournaments. Here, we examine the players who have found the net in three or more editions of the men’s World Cup…
16. Michel Platini
A legendary figure in French football, Michel Platini guided Les Bleus to triumph on home soil at Euro 84, netting nine goals during the tournament.
Platini represented France in three World Cups, playing a crucial role in reaching the semi-finals in 1986, where he scored five goals: one in 1978, two in 1982, and another two in 1986.
15. Raúl
Although Raúl González never secured a major trophy with Spain, he remains one of La Roja’s all-time legends and was the leading goal-scorer for the nation until surpassed by David Villa.
The ex-Real Madrid captain netted five goals across three World Cups: one in 1998, three in 2002, and another in 2006—his last international goal scored against Tunisia.
14. Lothar Matthäus
Regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his time, Lothar Matthäus participated in five World Cups and captained West Germany to victory in the 1990 edition.
He was also part of the West German squads that made it to the finals in 1982 and 1986, scoring in three different World Cups: once in 1986, four in 1990, and another in 1994.
13. Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez featured in four World Cups for Uruguay, managing to score in three of them.
He netted three goals in 2010, two in 2014, and another two in 2018. Known for his controversial moments, such as the handball against Ghana in 2010 and the bite on Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini in 2014, Suárez failed to find the net in the 2022 tournament.
12. Cristiano Ronaldo
By scoring against Ghana in the 2022 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first male player in history to score in five different World Cup editions.
He netted one goal in 2006, 2010, and 2014, with an impressive total of four goals—including a hat-trick against Spain—in 2018, and one more in 2022.
11. Neymar
Despite impressing with his performance as a youngster at Santos, Neymar did not receive a call-up to Brazil’s 2010 World Cup squad.
During the 2014 tournament, Neymar shone as Brazil’s star player, contributing four goals before succumbing to injury and missing the infamous 7-1 loss to Germany. He added two more in 2018 and another two in 2022.
10. Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona was already considered one of the most thrilling players worldwide by 1978, yet the iconic number 10 was omitted from Argentina’s squad that year as they bagged the trophy on home turf.
Maradona later played in four World Cups, captaining Argentina to victory in 1986 and leading them to the final again in 1990. He recorded a total of eight goals across the tournament: two in 1982, five in 1986, and one before a ban due to drug use in 1994.
9. Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio’s most memorable World Cup moment was undoubtedly his missed penalty in the 1994 final’s shootout against Brazil.
However, Baggio played a pivotal role in bringing Italy to that final, scoring five goals throughout the tournament. He also found the net twice in 1990, including a stunning solo effort against Czechoslovakia, and returned in 1998 to score two additional goals.
8. David Villa
David Villa played a significant role in Spain’s success at the 2010 World Cup, scoring five goals that helped La Roja secure their first-ever trophy.
He also netted three goals in the 2006 tournament, with his last goal for the national team coming in a victory over Australia in the 2014 tournament.
7. Grzegorz Lato
As a winger contributing to Poland’s golden era during the 1970s and early 1980s, Grzegorz Lato is heralded as one of the nation’s finest players.
Lato finished as the top scorer at the 1974 World Cup with seven goals, aiding Poland to a third-place finish. He added two more in the 1978 tournament and scored once again in 1982.
6. Gabriel Batistuta
Gabriel Batistuta was Argentina’s highest-ever goal-scorer for many years until Lionel Messi surpassed him; the former Fiorentina icon scored hat-tricks during two World Cups.
Overall, Batistuta scored ten goals in World Cups: four in 1994, five in 1998, and one in 2002.
5. Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann played a key role in West Germany’s World Cup win in 1990 and appeared in two additional tournaments for Die Mannschaft.
He has a total of 11 goals from three World Cup campaigns: three for West Germany in 1990; five with Germany in 1994; and three more in 1998.
4. Pelé
Pelé remains the sole player in football history to have triumphed in the World Cup three times and he scored in four different tournaments.
The legendary forward netted six goals as a 17-year-old while helping Brazil to victory in 1958, added one goal before injury in 1962, scored another during Brazil’s group stage exit in 1966, and found the net four times during another victorious campaign in 1970.
3. Lionel Messi
Following multiple World Cup disappointments and narrowly missing out in 2014 when Argentina lost to Germany in the final, Lionel Messi steered the Albiceleste to victory in 2022.
Messi did not score in the 2010 tournament, but found the net once in 2006, four times in 2014, once again in 2018, and an impressive seven times as Argentina captured the title in 2022.
2. Ronaldo
Ronaldo participated in four World Cups for Brazil, winning it twice, though he did not play in 1994 at the age of 17.
The legendary striker netted a total of 15 World Cup goals, scoring four in 1998, eight during the 2002 tournament where he also won the Golden Shoe, and three in 2006.
1. Miroslav Klose
Miroslav Klose proved to be more prolific at the international level than in his club career, retiring as Germany’s all-time leading scorer and a World Cup champion in 2014.
Klose scored a record 16 World Cup goals—more than any other player—netting five in 2002, another five in 2006, four in 2010, and two in 2014. He earned the Silver Shoe in 2002 and the Golden Shoe four years later.
