Players who scored in both the semi-final and final of the same World Cup

Few achievements in international football are as rare as scoring in both a World Cup semi-final and the final itself.

To do so requires not only individual brilliance but the consistency to deliver it across the two biggest occasions in the sport, with a country's hopes resting on every touch. Browsing the current World Cup winner odds ahead of the 2026 tournament, it is a reminder of just how much weight is attached to performances at this level.

Across the entire history of the tournament, only a handful of players have managed to score in both knockout rounds in the same year. Here are the players who achieved it.

Pele, 1958

Brazil's path to their first World Cup title in Sweden produced one of the most extraordinary individual runs in tournament history. Pele was 17 years old when he scored a hat-trick against France in the semi-final, a 5-2 win that announced him to the world in emphatic fashion. He then carried that form into the final against the hosts, netting twice in a 5-2 victory that gave Brazil their maiden world title.

No player in World Cup history has scored in both the semi-final and the final at a younger age. Pele finished the tournament with six goals in total, a record for a 17-year-old at the competition that still stands today.

Ronaldo, 2002

The 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan was the tournament in which Ronaldo completed one of football's great redemption stories. Having been struck down by a mysterious illness on the eve of the 1998 final, he returned four years later as the tournament's dominant forward. His goal against Turkey in the semi-final, a 1-0 win, put Brazil in the final and set up the crowning moment of his international career.

Against Germany in the final, Ronaldo scored twice to seal a 2-0 win and finish the tournament with eight goals, claiming the Golden Boot in the process. Only Just Fontaine, with 13 goals in 1958, has finished a single World Cup with more.

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Lionel Messi, 2022

Lionel Messi's performance across the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is arguably the finest individual run in the tournament's modern era. He scored and provided an assist in the 3-0 semi-final win over Croatia, his goal coming from the penalty spot after a typically incisive run drew the foul. The final against France that followed is widely regarded as the greatest in the competition's history.

Messi scored twice as Argentina led 2-0, converted a penalty in extra time to make it 3-2, and then scored again in the shootout to help Argentina lift the trophy for the first time since 1986. He was named Player of the Tournament and finished with seven goals and three assists across the competition, with his performances across the last three games carrying a weight unlike almost anything seen before in the sport.

Julian Alvarez, 2022

Often discussed in the context of Messi's brilliance in Qatar, Julian Alvarez deserves his own recognition. The then-22-year-old scored twice against Croatia in the semi-final, including a remarkable solo effort where he dribbled through three defenders before finishing. He was the most dynamic centre-forward at the tournament across those later rounds.

In the final, Alvarez added a third goal to his tournament tally, converting after a flowing Argentina move in the first half. He finished as joint-second-top scorer in Qatar with four goals. For those tracking the football bet markets ahead of 2026, Alvarez is already among the names attracting attention as a potential tournament top scorer.

What connects all of these players is an ability to perform at their absolute peak across consecutive knockout matches, something the format of the World Cup makes uniquely demanding. With the 2026 tournament expanding to 48 teams, the road to the final is now longer than ever, making the feat even harder to replicate.

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