The competition for the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot is set to conclude with the tournament’s final match. Kylian Mbappe of France currently leads the scoring race, having netted two goals in France’s recent 6-4 defeat by England in the third-place play-off. This performance moved him ahead of Lionel Messi, who still has one match remaining to respond.
Mbappe’s two goals against England brought his total for the tournament to a significant figure, making him the first player to reach double figures in a single men’s World Cup this century. The last player to achieve this feat was Gerd Muller for West Germany in 1970. Before this tournament, only eight players had scored eight or more goals in a single World Cup: Muller, Just Fontaine, Sandor Kocsis, Ademir, Eusebio, Guillermo Stabile, Ronaldo, and Mbappe.
Should Messi, at 39 years old, score twice in the final against Spain, he would claim the Golden Boot due to having more assists. If he scores less than two goals, Mbappe, at 27, would become the first player to win the award twice. Beyond the Golden Boot, both players are also vying for the title of the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, with Mbappe currently ahead with 22 goals, and Messi trailing by one.
Key Contenders in the Golden Boot Race
Three of the top four contenders for the Golden Boot are participating in the final weekend of the tournament, which is being held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These include Mbappe, Messi, and England’s Jude Bellingham. While Mbappe and Harry Kane have previously won the Golden Boot, it would be a first for Messi, adding to his numerous accolades.
Bellingham’s goal against France placed him third in the Golden Boot standings with seven goals, marking the highest number an Englishman has scored in a single World Cup. This tally put him ahead of Erling Haaland based on assists. England captain Harry Kane is one goal behind Bellingham, alongside France’s Ousmane Dembele.
Both Messi and Mbappe have surpassed Miroslav Klose on the World Cup’s all-time top goalscorers chart during this 2026 tournament. They are not only competing for the top scorer title in this edition but also in the competition’s nearly 100-year history. Both players have had opportunities to increase their tallies through penalties, though Messi has missed two during this World Cup, and Mbappe has missed one.
Tie-breaker Scenarios and Historical Context
If Messi and Mbappe remain tied in goals at the tournament’s conclusion, a tie-breaker process will be applied. The first criterion is the number of assists, followed by the fewest minutes played. Messi recorded his fourth assist by setting up two goals in the semi-final victory against England. Mbappe subsequently matched this in the third-place play-off against Thomas Tuchel‘s side.
Messi has previously received the Golden Ball, awarded to the World Cup’s best overall player, in both 2014 and 2022. In 2014, he scored four goals and provided one assist, and in 2022, he had seven goals and three assists. Mbappe’s two goals in Saturday’s third-place play-off made him the first player since Gerd Muller in 1970 to score a significant number of goals in one edition of the tournament. The record for most goals in a single World Cup is held by Just Fontaine, who scored 13 times in the 1958 edition.
The 2026 World Cup has been notable for its star players. Mbappe’s two goals in the second half at Hard Rock Stadium in the third-place play-off brought his total for the 2026 tournament to a notable figure and his overall World Cup goals to 22, establishing a new record. Prior Golden Boot winners such as Eusebio (1966), Salvatore Schillaci (1990), Davor Suker (1998), and Thomas Muller (2010) have all added to their tallies by scoring in this match.
Read Also
Source: bbc.com
