Players with Most Consecutive World Cup Scoring Appearances

Scoring consistently at the FIFA World Cup is a rare feat, and only 14 players from nine nations have managed to find the net in five or more consecutive appearances. Among them, three stand out with six straight games: France's Just Fontaine, Brazil's Jairzinho, and Argentina's Lionel Messi. Messi's streak is still ongoing, having scored in every match of the 2022 and 2026 tournaments.

Six Consecutive Appearances

Just Fontaine (France, 1958)

Fontaine scored in all six matches of the 1958 World Cup, netting 13 goals in total. His run included two goals against Yugoslavia, one against Scotland, two against Northern Ireland, one against Brazil, and four against West Germany in the third-place match. He averaged 2.17 goals per game during the streak and retired from international football after the tournament.

Jairzinho (Brazil, 1970-1974)

Jairzinho scored in six consecutive World Cup appearances spanning the 1970 and 1974 tournaments. In 1970, he scored in every match: two against Czechoslovakia, one each against England, Romania, Peru, Uruguay, and Italy. The streak ended with a 0-0 draw against Yugoslavia in 1974. He totaled seven goals during the run and finished his World Cup career with nine goals in 16 appearances.

Lionel Messi (Argentina, 2022-2026)

Messi's active streak began in the 2022 World Cup, where he scored in all seven matches, including the final against France. He continued into 2026, scoring against Algeria and Austria. His run includes 10 goals in six appearances, with an overall World Cup record of 18 goals in 28 matches.

Five Consecutive Appearances

Eleven players have scored in five straight World Cup games. Notable names include:

Gerd Müller (West Germany, 1970)

Müller scored in all five matches of the 1970 World Cup, netting 10 goals. His streak included a hat-trick against Bulgaria and two against England. It ended after a 1-0 win over Uruguay, where he did not score.

Eusébio (Portugal, 1966)

Eusébio scored in all five matches of the 1966 World Cup, including four against North Korea. He finished with nine goals in the tournament and never played in another World Cup.

Leonidas (Brazil, 1934-1938)

Leonidas scored in five consecutive appearances across the 1934 and 1938 World Cups. His run included a hat-trick against Poland in 1938. He did not play in further World Cups.

Other players with five consecutive scoring appearances include Careca (Brazil), Teófilo Cubillas (Peru), Helmut Rahn (West Germany), Lajos Tichy (Hungary), James Rodríguez (Colombia), György Sárosi (Hungary), Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), Rivaldo (Brazil), and Salvatore Schillaci (Italy).