Which players have scored the most goals in a single World Cup? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s one thing to score a significant number of goals within one’s career, or even one season. But it’s a totally different thing to score a lofty amount within one tournament – especially the FIFA World Cup.

For generations, countries from all over the world have put their best foot forward in the quadrennial tournament. And every now and then, there is a player who manages to surpass all odds.

Gulliermo Stabile, Just Fontaine and Ronaldo are just a few of the many players who set precedents for goal-scoring in FIFA history.

With the 2022 World Cup almost complete, let’s take a deeper dive into some of the most decorated goalscorers in history, specifically, those who have scored the most within a single iteration of the tournament.

France’s Just Fontaine holds the record for the most goals scored in a single FIFA World Cup.

The French football star scored 13 goals in six matches during a single FIFA World Cup.

Four of these goals came against the World Cup defending champions, West Germany.

Fontaine achieved this record during the 1958 FIFA World Cup, which took place in Sweden.

Here are the athletes with the most goals scored in a single World Cup competition:

Team: France

World Cup: 1958

Goals: 13

Team: Hungary

World Cup: 1954

Goals: 11

Team: Germany

World Cup: 1970

Goals: 10

Team: Portugal

World Cup: 1966

Goals: 9

Team: Brazil

World Cup: 1950

Goals: 9

Team: Argentina

World Cup: 1930

Goals: 8

Team: Brazil

World Cup: 2002

Goals: 8

Team: Brazil

World Cup: 1938

Goals: 7

Team: Brazil

World Cup: 1970

Goals: 7

Team: Poland

World Cup: 1974

Goals: 7

Considering no one has even come close to Fontaine’s record since Ronaldo in 2002 with eight goals, it’s valid to question whether time has anything to do with that.

When asked whether goals were easier to score back in the 1950s, Fontaine rebuffed.

“No, it wasn't easier to score in 1958,” Fontaine said, according to The Guardian.

“The state of the ball, the length of the trip over and the amateurism of the backroom staff made everything much more complicated than today. I had somebody else's boots as well. And the last great World Cup scorer, Ronaldo, played against teams such as China and Costa Rica. Above all else, referees protect strikers much more than they did in my day. So let me repeat it: 13 goals is an enormous total. Beating my record? I don't think it can ever be done.”

The 2022 FIFA World Cup began on Nov. 20, and there are only four matches remaining: two semifinals, the third-place match and the final.

All remaining 2022 FIFA World Cup matches will air on FOX in English and Telemundo in Spanish. They are available to stream on Peacock, FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app.