Former Germany striker Miroslav Klose has expressed confidence that his long-standing FIFA World Cup goalscoring record could be broken during the ongoing tournament, with Argentina captain Lionel Messi among the players he believes can achieve the feat.
Klose, who remains the highest scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals from 24 appearances, spoke about the possibility of his record falling as the competition continues.
The German football icon praised Messi’s exceptional talent and described the Argentine superstar as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.
Messi currently has 13 World Cup goals from 26 matches and needs four more goals to move ahead of Klose’s tally.
Speaking about the record, Klose said the expanded format of the tournament creates more opportunities for players to score, making it increasingly likely that new milestones will be reached.
He also predicted that both Argentina and France could enjoy deep runs in the competition, giving their key players additional chances to add to their goal totals.
Klose made it clear that he would have no problem seeing Messi surpass his achievement, noting that records are meant to be challenged and eventually broken.
The former Germany international further reiterated his admiration for the Inter Miami star, describing him as a football genius whose performances have consistently thrilled fans around the world.
As the World Cup progresses, attention will remain on Messi and other top forwards who are chasing a place in football history.