Argentina and France meet in the 21st World Cup final on Sunday to close out Qatar 2022. So, HITC Football has looked at who has scored the most goals in the showpiece FIFA tie.
There have been 76 goals scored across the previous World Cup finals by a combination of 62 players. Just 10 men have found the back of the net multiple times in their efforts to lift a title. And of those 10, just four have beaten a goalkeeper in more than one final to date.
Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe of France can now join the exclusive group should either score on Sunday. Both struck the net for their only goal in a World Cup final to date as Les Bleus beat Croatia during the 2018 tie. France would win 4-2 for their second title yet.
Who has scored the most goals in a World Cup final ahead of Argentina vs France?
Ahead of Argentina and France meeting at Qatar 2022, four players have so far scored the most goals in a World Cup final. They have each struck the net three times but only one of the quartet did so in a single final. The other trio required two finals to achieve their totals.
Griezmann and Mbappe could now make that trio a quartet or quintet if either or both can score on Sunday. Paul Pogba also scored for France in the Russia 2018 final but missed out on featuring at Qatar 2022 after suffering a thigh injury in his recovery from knee surgery.
Meanwhile, Mario Mandzukic opened the scoring for France in 2018 with the first – and so far only – own goal in a World Cup final. The striker also became the first – and so far only – player to go on and score for his country after an own goal with Croatia’s second at 4-2.
So, a place in the FIFA history books could await Griezmann and Mbappe on Sunday. Both have played instrumental roles in France reaching back-to-back finals and having a chance to become only the third country after Italy and Brazil to ever retain the World Cup trophy.
But who has scored the most goals in a World Cup final ahead of Argentina meeting France at Qatar 2022? Well, HITC Football has trawled through the FIFA record books to find out…
Geoff Hurst holds the record for scoring the most goals in a single World Cup final
Sir Geoff Hurst has the record for scoring the most goals in a single World Cup final ahead of Argentina and France’s match. The striker struck the only hat-trick ever recorded in the FIFA showpiece tie in 1966 as England beat West Germany in their only final made so far.
At first, Hurst opened the tournament outside of the Three Lions’ XI and only came in from the quarter-finals. But he kicked off his World Cup by scoring the only goal as England beat Argentina 1-0. The striker then laid on an assist to help edge Portugal 2-1 in the semi-final.
Helmut Haller hoped to dash England’s hopes in the final, though, as he put West Germany ahead after 12 minutes. But Bobby Moore found Hurst six minutes later to equalise before Martin Peters (78’) scored. Wolfgang Weber (89’) hit in the final stages to force extra time.
Hurst would use the additional period to snatch the match ball and secure England’s only World Cup title to date. Alan Ball found the West Ham United product to restore the Three Lions’ lead (101’). Moore then bagged his second assist as Hurst (120’) finished his treble.
It remains the only hat-trick ever scored in the World Cup final and makes Hurst one of the four players with the most goals in the tie. Griezmann and Mbappe can now try to join the other three by netting two goals in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina on Sunday.
Vava and Pele fired Brazil to three of their record five World Cup titles
Vava and Pele join Hurst with three goals as another two of the four players with the most goals scored in the World Cup final. But unlike the England legend, the Brazil icons needed two finals to achieve their hauls of three. They also helped the Selecao secure three titles.
Both also scored twice in the 1958 final as Brazil beat the host nation, Sweden, 5-2 to claim their first crown. Nils Liedholm (4’) initially broke the deadlock for the Blagult before Vava (9’) swiftly responded and fired again (32’). Pele (55’) then hit his goal first to set a new record.
In netting against Sweden in the 1958 World Cup final, Pele became the youngest player to score in a final. He would also go on to strike again in the 90th minute to clinch Brazil a 5-2 lead. Mario Zagallo (68’) for Brazil and Agne Simonsson (80’) for Sweden had also hit once.
Vava and Pele inspired separate titles while scoring the most World Cup final goals
Brazil would go on to defend their title at the 1962 World Cup in Chile. Yet they, again, fell behind early on as Josef Masopust (15’) put Czechoslovakia ahead at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago. But Amarildo (17’) instantly replied before Zito (69’) later gave Brazil the lead.
Vava would conclude the scoring in the 78th minute for his third goal in a World Cup final to have the most at that stage with three. Yet Pele would later join his compatriot after the 1970 final. The legendary forward helped Brazil secure their third of five titles in Mexico.
Brazil beat Italy 4-1 in the final at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City to win the 1970 World Cup. They did not need to do some from behind this time as Pele (18’) broke the deadlock. But Roberto Boninsegna (37’) would draw the Azzurri level before the break for half-time.
Gerson (65’), Jairzinho (71’) and Carlos Alberto (86’) would fire home for Brazil through the second period, though. In doing so, the South Americans also became the most successful World Cup nation in history at the time. They overtook Italy, who won it in 1934 and 1938.
A Frenchman in Zinedine Zidane has scored the most goals in the World Cup final
Griezmann and Mbappe have the chance to become two of the players who have scored the most goals in the World Cup final if they net twice against Argentina on Sunday. But a Frenchman is already a part of the exclusive group in the Bleus’ legendary Zinedine Zidane.
The midfielder scored twice as France won their first World Cup final as the host nation in 1998. He would then also score in the 2006 final in Germany but Italy went on to win their fourth title. The Azzurri added to their 1934, 1938 and 1982 titles with a win on penalties.
Zidane broke the deadlock against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final as he scored after 27 minutes. The midfielder would then delight the crowd at the Stade de France again in the first minute of first-half stoppage-time. Emmanuel Petit later sealed a 3-0 win in the 93rd.
Again, it was Zidane to break the deadlock as he scored from the penalty spot after seven minutes in the 2006 World Cup final. Marco Materazzi conceded the spot-kick after fouling Florent Malouda. But the centre-half headed Andrea Pirlo’s corner home to get Italy level.
Zidane and Materazzi then created the ever-lasting moment of the tournament when the France icon headbutted the defender. The midfielder flung his head into Materazzi’s chest to attract a straight red card. The defender would also later go on to score in the shootout.
Materazzi took Italy’s second penalty in the shootout before David Trezeguet missed with France’s second. Eric Abidal and Willy Sagnol scoring for Les Bleus would prove irrelevant as Daniele De Rossi, Alessandro Del Piero and Fabio Grosso got Italy their most recent title.
Other notable players who have scored the most goals in the World Cup final
Here is a list of the other notable players who have scored the most goals in the World Cup final. All six have so far scored twice and only one has found the net during multiple finals.
Gino Colaussi (2): He scored twice as Italy beat Hungary 4-2 in the 1938 World Cup final.
Silvio Piola (2): He scored twice as Italy beat Hungary 4-2 in the 1938 World Cup final.
Helmut Rahn (2): He scored twice as West Germany beat Hungary 3-2 in the 1954 final.
Paul Breitner (2): He scored once as West Germany won the 1974 and lost the 1982 final.
Mario Kempes (2): He scored twice as Argentina beat the Netherlands in the 1978 final.
Ronaldo Nazario (2): He scored twice as Brazil beat Germany 2-0 in the 2002 final.
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