A wire rod for a steel cord has a wire diameter R of 3.5 mm to 8.0 mm, and includes, in a chemical composition, by mass %: C: 0.70% to 1.20%; Si: 0.15% to 0.60%; Mn: 0.10% to 1.00%; N: 0.0010% to 0.0050%; Al: more than 0% and 0.0100% or less; and a remainder of Fe and impurities, in which a surface part and a central part are included, a thickness of the surface part is 50 μm to 0.20×R, the central part includes a pearlite structure in a proportion of 95% to 100% by area %, a C content of the surface part is 40% to 95% of a C content of the central part, and a ratio of a thickness of a lamellar cementite at a center of the thickness of the surface part to a thickness of a lamellar cementite in the central part is 95% or less, whereby high strength and workability can be achieved even after a finish drawing process and cracking or the like caused by a delamination phenomenon can be prevented.