Miroslav Klose, the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 16 goals, has admitted that his long-standing record is likely to be broken in the near future.
Speaking to the German newspaper BILD, the 2014 World Cup winner with Germany, has named Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe as the top candidates to surpass him.
"I'm sure my World Cup goal-scoring record will be broken soon. Either Lionel Messi does it in this World Cup, or at the latest, Kylian Mbappe in the next one," Klose said.
With the 2026 tournament just five months away, Messi (13 goals) and Mbappe (12 goals) are closing in on Klose's tally, while legends like Ronaldo Nazario (15) and Gerd Muller (14) also remain in the top three.
Klose highlighted key changes in the eras that could help modern stars, noting that he was never Germany's main penalty taker during his international career - a role that Messi and Mbappe currently hold for their respective national teams.
The retired striker, who is now coach of Nurnberg in Germany's second division, expressed no bitterness about the prospect of losing the record, instead offering a realistic assessment of today's attacking volume and longevity in the game. /Telegraph/
