Lionel Messi leads FIFA World Cup 2026 ‘Golden Boot’ race as Mbappe, Haaland and Kane chase

Lionel Messi is still writing history at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Argentina captain came up trumps again when his team needed him most, scoring during the Round of 32 clash and taking another giant step towards finishing as the tournament’s top scorer.

With the knockout rounds now under way, the race for the Golden Boot has become even more exciting, with several of world football’s biggest stars still in contention.

Messi moves ahead of Kylian Mbappe

Messi scored once in Argentina’s Round of 32 victory over Cape Verde, taking his tally to seven goals in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

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Before this match, both Messi and France captain Kylian Mbappe were level on six goals each. However, Messi’s latest goal has now seen him overtake the rest and take top spot in the Golden Boot standings.

The Argentine star has also set another impressive record by scoring in eight successive FIFA World Cup matches – extending his own previous best.

His consistent goalscoring form has made him the current favourite to win the Golden Boot.

Golden Boot race heats up

The battle for the Golden Boot remains wide open despite Messi taking the lead.

Messi currently tops the scoring charts with seven goals, while France captain Kylian Mbappe sits just behind with six goals.

Norway’s Erling Haaland and England’s Harry Kane are also firmly in the race with five goals apiece, while Brazil’s Vinicius Junior has scored four goals so far in the tournament.

With several knockout matches still to be played, the race for the tournament’s top goalscorer is expected to get even fiercer.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Top Scorers

How the Golden Boot winner is decided

If two or more players finish the tournament with the same number of goals, FIFA follows specific tie-breaker rules to determine the Golden Boot winner.

The first deciding factor is the number of assists provided by the player. If the players are still level, the award is given to the footballer who has played fewer minutes during the tournament.

Those rules could become crucial if the leading scorers remain close as the World Cup progresses into the quarter-finals and beyond.