World Cup goals history: 1954 edition witness goal bonanza as Hungary scores record 27, S. Korea concedes record 16

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - The 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland has seen new records, still unbeaten, such as the most goals scored and conceded by a team in one tournament.

In the 1954 World Cup, the Hungarian national team scored a record 27 goals.

Hungary hammered South Korea 9-0, then beat West Germany 8-3 in the group matches.

Then Hungary eliminated Brazil in the quarterfinals, and Uruguay in the semis. They won both games 4-2.

The Hungarians lost the title after a 3-2 loss to West Germany in the final in Bern.

Hungarian forward Sandor Kocsis scored 11 goals in that tournament.

West Germany scored 25 goals in the same World Cup. France scored 23 goals in the 1958 World Cup to come third in the all-time most goals scored list.

Meanwhile, South Korea conceded 16 goals in one tournament, the World Cup 1954.

South Korea were eliminated in the group stage in Switzerland 1954 after the Asian team was trounced by Hungary 9-0 and Türkiye 7-0.

In the most goals conceded category, South Korea is still followed by three countries; Sweden (1950), France (1958), and Belgium (1986).

These three nations conceded 15 goals, each, in a World Cup tournament.

- Brazil score most goals in all-time

The World Cup's most successful team with five titles, Brazil scored the most goals with 229.

Brazil, the only team to compete in all 21 World Cup editions, conceded 105 goals since the inaugural tournament in 1930.

Germany, who won four World Cups in history, conceded the most goals in the competition history.

The Germans conceded 125 goals to be the record-holders in this category.

They have participated in 19 World Cups so far.

Separately, Germany scored 226 goals against their opponents, with a close margin against Brazil.

- France's Fontaine scores 13 goals in 1 competition

Former France forward Just Fontaine is a record holder on the most goals scored by a player in a single World Cup.

Fontaine, 89, scored 13 goals in six matches at the 1958 World Cup.

Kocsis tallied 11 goals for Hungary in 1954 to follow Fontaine. He died in 1979.

One of the football legends, Gerd Muller scored 10 goals in Mexico 1970. The former Germany and Bayern Munich forward passed away in 2021.

- Klose still World Cup's all-time top scorer

Former Germany forward and 2014 world champion Miroslav Klose still holds the record for the most World Cup goals of all time.

Klose netted 16 goals in 24 appearances across four World Cup tournaments (2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014).

He surpassed Brazil's legendary forward Ronaldo in the 2014 World Cup semifinal, scoring against Brazil in Germany's sensational 7-1 win over the hosts.

Brazil's Ronaldo, who tallied 15 goals in 19 matches, is followed by German legend Gerd Muller.

Muller scored 14 goals in the 1970 and 1974 editions of the World Cup.

Fontaine of France scored 13 goals to be after Muller.

Brazil's legendary forward Pele scored 12 goals in 14 matches for his team in the 1958, 1962, 1966, and 1970 World Cups.

Two players are tied in the sixth spot -- Kocsis and Jurgen Klinsmann.

Kocsis tallied 11 goals for Hungary, and former Germany star Klinsmann bagged 11 goals in the 1990, 1994, and 1998 World Cups.

Germany and Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller, 33, is the only active player to have scored 10 goals in 16 World Cup matches. Muller needs to net seven more goals to break his compatriot Klose's record.

One of the football greats, Diego Maradona, who died in 2020, scored eight World Cup goals in 21 matches in the 1982, 1986, and 1994 editions of the tournament.

Portugal's 37-year-old forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, 35, scored less than 10 goals for their nations, each, and Qatar 2022 might be the final World Cup of Ronaldo and Messi.

Qatar 2022, the first World Cup ever to be held during the Northern Hemisphere winter, will start on Nov. 20.

During the 29-day event, 32 teams will compete in a total of 64 matches for the 2022 World Cup trophy.