The quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 just around the corner. France have secured its place, and the remaining teams will look to advance as well. Aided by an increased number of games, the 2026 World Cup has already seen a record number of goals scored throughout the tournament, outdoing the previous best by over 100 goals.
This tournament so far, till date, Argentina and France have top scored with 14 goals, closely followed by Belgium with 13 and Norway with 12. However, while all the sides have a chance of breaking into the top 10, they are unlikely to break the remarkable total set by Hungary in 1954.
Here are the highest-scoring teams at a single FIFA World Cup.
1. Hungary 1954: 27 goals in 5 games
The highest scoring side in World Cup history is the Hungary side of 1954. Nicknamed the “Magical Magyars”, the side was coming into the tournament unbeaten for four years. Led by captain Ferenc Puskas, the side had won the 1952 Olympic Gold in their previous international tournament.
In this tournament, forward Sandor Kocsis top scored for the side with 11 goals, leading the side to the final. However, Hungary were defeated 3-2 by West Germany in the final, ending their four-year, 32-match unbeaten streak.
2. West Germany 1954: 25 goals in 6 games
The 1954 tournament featured both the top two scorers, with the West German side the second-top scoring side of all time. The scoring was more equally divided, with the side’s top scorer being Max Morlock with 6 goals, followed by Helmut Rahn, Hans Schafer, and Ottmar Walter, who had four goals each.
West Germany had to play one more fixture than Hungary, a play-off against Turkey to decide second-place in the group.
This tournament saw the West German side reach the final, and against all odds, defeat the pre-tournament favourites Hungary 3-2. in a match later dubbed “The Miracle of Bern”. The West German side were two goals down within the first eight minutes, before a goal from Max Morlock and a brace from Helmut Rahn secured the unlikely victory.
3. France 1958: 23 goals in 6 games
The France team of 1958 sits third on the list, having scored 23 goals throughout the tournament. Apart from the third-place record, the side also had a new record for most goals by a player at a tournament, with Just Fontaine scoring 13 goals on his own.
The France side reached the semifinals, before losing to eventual winners Brazil 5-2. However, the side won the third-place match 6-3 over West Germany. This was France’s best World Cup finish until it won the tournament in 1998.
Highest scoring teams at a single FIFA World Cup
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Published on Jul 10, 2026