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‘Lionel Messi Can Have It’ – Miroslav Klose, the World Cup’s all-time top scorer, says he will be delighted to see the Argentine superstar overtake his record.

Germany’s football icon Miroslav Klose believes that his long-standing World Cup goal record will likely be broken during the ongoing tournament in North America. The former striker feels that the expanded competition format creates the ideal scenario for elite goal scorers to eclipse his benchmark, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe emerging as the main contenders.

Record under serious threat

The 2026 World Cup kicked off with co-hosts Mexico defeating South Africa, marking the official start of the chase for one of the sport’s most prestigious personal milestones. Klose, who previously led Bayern Munich’s attack, currently holds the record with an incredible 16 goals in 24 World Cup appearances. However, with more matches now included in the tournament schedule, the 48-year-old admits that his reign at the top is nearing its end.

Klose backs Messi to make history

Discussing the likelihood of his record being broken, the current FC Nurnberg manager expressed great admiration for Argentina’s captain. Speaking to Suddeutsche Zeitung, he said: “I expect my record to be broken in this tournament.

“With more teams, there are more matches, and therefore more opportunities to score goals. And I expect Argentina and France to progress deep into the tournament. That’s absolutely fine – the record will fall sooner or later anyway. Messi is welcome to take it. I’ve always been a massive fan of Messi.”

The former German striker also lauded Messi’s extraordinary talent and spoke fondly of his friendship with the current Argentina head coach. “Messi is a genius,” Klose continued. “And I have great respect for the Argentine coach, Lionel Scaloni. We played together at Lazio. He showed me around the city back then. We’ve remained good friends.”

New generation chasing Klose’s record

Klose’s record total has remained untouched since 2014, but the new breed of world-class attackers is closing in fast. Messi currently trails by just three goals, with 13 World Cup strikes to his name. Meanwhile, France’s Kylian Mbappe is also in hot pursuit, having already scored 12 goals in only 14 tournament appearances — an extraordinary strike rate that puts him firmly in contention.

Champions begin their World Cup defence

Argentina are set to begin their title defence against Algeria on Wednesday. Lionel Scaloni’s star-studded squad will then face Austria on Monday, followed by their final Group B clash against Jordan six days later. These early fixtures offer Messi an ideal opportunity to close the gap on Klose’s record as the reigning champions aim to stamp their authority on the global stage.

How far can Germany go in this World Cup?