Most World Cup Goals Scored From Outside the Box

Scoring from distance is one of the most spectacular feats in football, and the FIFA World Cup has seen its fair share of long-range strikes. A select group of players have made a habit of finding the net from outside the penalty area on the sport's biggest stage. Here is the definitive list of the men with the most World Cup goals scored from outside the box.

Lionel Messi Leads the Way

Argentina's Lionel Messi tops the ranking with seven goals from outside the penalty area in World Cup competition. Messi has scored these goals across four tournaments, starting with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. His first came in a 2-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by the decisive strike in a 1-0 victory against Iran, and another in a 2-3 loss to Nigeria. In 2022, he added a goal in the 2-0 win over Mexico. More recently, at the 2026 World Cup, Messi scored twice in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria and once in a 3-1 win against Jordan. In total, Messi has made 34 World Cup appearances and scored 21 goals, with exactly one-third of those coming from distance.

Rivellino and the Four-Goal Club

Brazilian legend Rivellino is second on the list with five goals from outside the box. All five came during the 1970 and 1974 World Cups. In 1970, he scored against Czechoslovakia (4-1) and Uruguay (3-1). Four years later, he netted against Zaire (3-0), East Germany (1-0), and Argentina (2-1). Rivellino made 15 World Cup appearances and scored six goals in total.

Four players are tied for third place with four goals each from outside the penalty area:

• Diego Forlán (Uruguay): Scored in 2002 against Senegal (3-3), in 2010 against South Africa (3-0), Ghana (1-1, 4-2 on penalties), and the Netherlands (2-3). He made 10 World Cup appearances and scored six goals.
• Lothar Matthäus (West Germany): Scored in 1986 against Morocco (1-0) and in 1990 against Yugoslavia (4-1, two goals) and the United Arab Emirates (5-1). He made 25 World Cup appearances and scored six goals.
• Helmut Rahn (West Germany): Scored in 1954 against Hungary (8-3) and in 1958 against Argentina (3-1, two goals) and Czechoslovakia (2-2). He made 10 World Cup appearances and scored 10 goals.
• Lajos Tichy (Hungary): Scored in 1958 against Sweden (2-1) and Mexico (4-0), and in 1962 against England (2-1) and Bulgaria (6-1). He made eight World Cup appearances and scored seven goals.

Three-Goal Achievers

Seven players have scored three goals from outside the box in World Cup history:

• Bobby Charlton (England): Scored in 1962 against Argentina (3-1) and in 1966 against Mexico (2-0) and Portugal (2-1). He made 14 World Cup appearances and scored four goals.
• Teófilo Cubillas (Peru): Scored in 1970 against West Germany (3-1) and in 1978 against Scotland (3-1, two goals). He made 13 World Cup appearances and scored 10 goals.
• Dirceu (Brazil): Scored in 1978 against Peru (3-0, two goals) and Italy (2-1). He made 12 World Cup appearances and scored three goals.
• Garrincha (Brazil): Scored in 1962 against England (3-1) and Chile (4-2), and in 1966 against Bulgaria (2-0). He made 12 World Cup appearances and scored five goals.
• Kylian Mbappé (France): Scored in 2018 against Croatia (4-2) and in 2026 against Senegal (3-1) and Iraq (3-0). He made 22 World Cup appearances and scored 22 goals.
• David Villa (Spain): Scored in 2006 against Ukraine (4-0) and in 2010 against Honduras (2-0) and Chile (2-1). He made 12 World Cup appearances and scored nine goals.

These players have thrilled fans with their ability to score from distance, a skill that remains one of the most exciting aspects of the beautiful game.