Most FIFA World Cup finals goals by a football (soccer) player

The most FIFA World Cup finals goals by a football (soccer) player is 16 and was achieved by Miroslav Klose (Germany) playing for Germany in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. Coming into the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Klose was one goal behind then record holder Ronaldo (Brazil), who had scored 15 goals whilst playing for Brazil in 1998, 2002 and 2006. Klose equalled Ronaldo's tally with an equaliser for Germany against Ghana in their Group G match on 21 June 2014. He then took the record outright with his 16th FIFA World Cup goal coming in Germany's semi-final demolition of Brazil on 8 July 2014. He scored the second of Germany's seven goals on the night as they routed the tournament hosts 7-1 to advance to a record breaking eighth FIFA World Cup Final.

Klose began his FIFA World Cup goal scoring in 2002 in Japan and South Korea, scoring five goals on route to the final which Germany lost to Brazil. Another five followed in his native Germany in 2006 before Germany were knocked out at the semi-final stage by eventual winners Italy. In South Africa in 2010, Klose scored four goals on route to another semi-final, with Germany once again being beaten by the eventual tournament winners, this time Spain. And his two goals in Brazil in 2014 have helped his side reach another final, giving him the chance to extend his record even further.