Jurgen Klinsmann was the talisman of the West Germany side that won the 1990 World Cup. Klinsmann knocked in 11 goals across 17 appearances in World Cups 1990, 1994 and 1998. Klinsmann went on to later manage Germany for the 2006 World Cup.
Kocsis was the fulcrum of the legendary Magical Magyars Hungary football team. Hungary made it to the 1954 World Cup Final on the back of stupendous play from him as he scored 11 goals in just 5 appearances. The team, unfortunately, lost the Final to West Germany.
Pele was the first global sports superstar, building his reputation with World Cup-winning goals as a teenager. Pele scored 12 goals through the course of 4 World Cup appearances, winning 3 tournaments and becoming the greatest player in football history. As Andy Warhol put it, Pele will have 15 centuries of fame rather than 15 minutes.
Kylian Mbappe has already achieved more at the age of 25 than many of the greatest footballers ever to live. Mbappe has 12 World Cup goals, a World Cup winner's medal and a runner's up medal in just 2 appearances. Mbappe, like Pele, was perhaps the most talented teenage footballer of the 21st century.
Lionel Messi 'completed' football - so to speak - when Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 score following extra time. Messi has already played in 5 World Cup tournaments and has 2 World Cup Golden Balls to his name. He may return for a final bow at the 2026 World Cup in the United States.
The French national football team made it to the semifinal of the 1958 World Cup powered by Just Fontaine, who knocked in a record 13 goals in 6 appearances. Fontaine didn't return to the World Cup, but his high-water mark remained intact for several years.
Gerd Muller held the World Cup goalscoring record for 32 years after setting it in 1974. 'Der Bomber' led West Germany to its second World Cup title in 1974 - his second appearance at that level. Muller tallied 14 goals in 13 World Cup appearances and retired as perhaps the greatest poacher in football history.
No footballer has a more iconic World Cup campaign to his name than Ronaldo Nazario did in 2002. R9 went up against all the odds to stage a comeback from back-to-back knee injuries and knocked in 8 goals through 7 games for the win. R9 scored 7 more World Cup goals in 1998 and 2006, breaking Gerd Muller's record in the latter tournament.
Miroslav Klose is the ultimate big game player, as evidenced by his crucial goals for Germany across four World Cups. Klose passed Ronaldo Nazario at the latter's home ground in Germany's landmark 7-0 win over Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semifinals. Klose is also the all-time top scorer for the German national team.
