Top 10 World Cup Golden Boot Winners

Kylian Mbappé won the 2022 Golden Boot with 8 goals — including a hat-trick in the final against Argentina — becoming only the second player after Geoff Hurst to score three goals in a World Cup Final. His tally of 12 career World Cup goals at age 23 put him on course to break Ronaldo's all-time record of 15.

Ronaldo's 8 goals at the 2002 World Cup — including two in the final against Germany — completed a miraculous comeback after three years plagued by career-threatening knee injuries. The sight of Ronaldo with that bizarre zigzag haircut lifting the World Cup trophy became one of the most iconic images in football history.

Gerd Müller scored 10 goals in 6 games at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico — the second highest total in history after Fontaine. He scored in every match, including the semifinal winner against Italy in a legendary 4-3 extra-time contest. His predatory instinct in the six-yard box made him virtually impossible to stop in close range.

Paolo Rossi scored all 6 of his goals in the final three games of the 1982 World Cup — including a hat-trick against Brazil, two against Poland, and the opener in the final. He had scored zero goals in the group stage after returning from a two-year match-fixing ban. The most dramatic goalscoring surge in World Cup history.

Gary Lineker won the 1986 Golden Boot with 6 goals in the same tournament where Maradona scored the Goal of the Century. Lineker scored a hat-trick against Poland in the group stage and two in the quarterfinal against Paraguay. His career total of 48 England goals remains the second highest in history, and he never received a single yellow card in his career.

Hristo Stoichkov shared the 1994 Golden Boot with Oleg Salenko and carried Bulgaria — a nation with zero tradition of World Cup success — to the semifinal. His 6 goals included a trademark free-kick against Germany in the quarterfinal. That same year he won the Ballon d'Or. The peak of Bulgarian football history arrived in one extraordinary summer.

Davor Šuker scored 6 goals at the 1998 World Cup as Croatia — a nation only seven years old — reached the semifinals in their first ever World Cup appearance. His lob over the advancing Fabien Barthez in the quarterfinal against Germany was one of the most audacious goals of the tournament. Croatia finished third.

Miroslav Klose is the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals across four tournaments (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014). He won the 2006 Golden Boot at home in Germany with 5 goals and the 2014 World Cup winner's medal, scoring in the 7-1 demolition of Brazil. No player has scored more World Cup goals across their career.

Eusébio scored 9 goals at the 1966 World Cup in England — including 4 in a quarterfinal comeback from 3-0 down against North Korea — to win the Golden Boot and guide Portugal to third place in their only World Cup semifinal appearance of the 20th century. His power, pace, and ferocious shot made him one of the finest players of his generation.

Kylian Mbappé won the 2022 Golden Boot with 8 goals — including a hat-trick in the final against Argentina — becoming only the second player after Geoff Hurst to score three goals in a World Cup Final. His tally of 12 career World Cup goals at age 23 put him on course to break Ronaldo's all-time record of 15.

Ronaldo's 8 goals at the 2002 World Cup — including two in the final against Germany — completed a miraculous comeback after three years plagued by career-threatening knee injuries. The sight of Ronaldo with that bizarre zigzag haircut lifting the World Cup trophy became one of the most iconic images in football history.

Gerd Müller scored 10 goals in 6 games at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico — the second highest total in history after Fontaine. He scored in every match, including the semifinal winner against Italy in a legendary 4-3 extra-time contest. His predatory instinct in the six-yard box made him virtually impossible to stop in close range.

Paolo Rossi scored all 6 of his goals in the final three games of the 1982 World Cup — including a hat-trick against Brazil, two against Poland, and the opener in the final. He had scored zero goals in the group stage after returning from a two-year match-fixing ban. The most dramatic goalscoring surge in World Cup history.

Gary Lineker won the 1986 Golden Boot with 6 goals in the same tournament where Maradona scored the Goal of the Century. Lineker scored a hat-trick against Poland in the group stage and two in the quarterfinal against Paraguay. His career total of 48 England goals remains the second highest in history, and he never received a single yellow card in his career.

Hristo Stoichkov shared the 1994 Golden Boot with Oleg Salenko and carried Bulgaria — a nation with zero tradition of World Cup success — to the semifinal. His 6 goals included a trademark free-kick against Germany in the quarterfinal. That same year he won the Ballon d'Or. The peak of Bulgarian football history arrived in one extraordinary summer.

Davor Šuker scored 6 goals at the 1998 World Cup as Croatia — a nation only seven years old — reached the semifinals in their first ever World Cup appearance. His lob over the advancing Fabien Barthez in the quarterfinal against Germany was one of the most audacious goals of the tournament. Croatia finished third.

Miroslav Klose is the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals across four tournaments (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014). He won the 2006 Golden Boot at home in Germany with 5 goals and the 2014 World Cup winner's medal, scoring in the 7-1 demolition of Brazil. No player has scored more World Cup goals across their career.

Eusébio scored 9 goals at the 1966 World Cup in England — including 4 in a quarterfinal comeback from 3-0 down against North Korea — to win the Golden Boot and guide Portugal to third place in their only World Cup semifinal appearance of the 20th century. His power, pace, and ferocious shot made him one of the finest players of his generation.