Top News

23 June 2026

The battle for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot is intensifying as the tournament heads into its knockout stage, with Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland all firmly in the hunt for top scorer honours.

Lionel Messi has once again proven his brilliance at this year’s tournament. After netting a hat-trick against Algeria, the Argentine captain followed it up with a brace against Austria, showcasing his trademark resilience even after missing a penalty earlier in the competition.

Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland also kept pace with Messi, each scoring twice on a dramatic day at the World Cup. Mbappe, captaining France, endured almost a two-hour weather delay but still managed to deliver another exceptional performance. Meanwhile, Haaland has inspired Norway into knockout contention, with his goals sparking jubilant scenes reminiscent of his nation’s most iconic football moments.

England’s Harry Kane remains within striking distance, while Germany’s Deniz Undav and Brazil’s Vinicius Jr are also among those who could still mount a challenge for the Golden Boot.

In the event of players finishing level on goals, assists will determine their ranking. If that too ends in a tie, the deciding factor will be minutes played and the goals-per-minute ratio. Below are the current standings in the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race:

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina), 5 goals

= 2. Kylian Mbappe (France), 4 goals

= 2. Erling Haaland (Norway), 4 goals

4. Deniz Undav (Germany), 3 goals (2 assists)

5. Jonathan David (Canada), 3 goals

= 6. Vinicius Jr (Brazil), 2 goals (1 assist)

= 6. Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), 2 goals (1 assist)

= 6. Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands), 2 goals (1 assist)

= 6. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), 2 goals (1 assist)

= 6. Maximiliano Araujo (Uruguay), 2 goals (1 assist)

= 6. Ayase Ueda (Japan), 2 goals (1 assist)

= 12. Harry Kane (England), 2 goals

= 12. Matheus Cunha (Brazil), 2 goals

= 12. Yasin Ayari (Sweden), 2 goals

= 12. Elijah Just (New Zealand), 2 goals

= 12. Kai Havertz (Germany), 2 goals

= 12. Johan Manzambi (Switzerland), 2 goals

= 12. Cyle Larin (Canada), 2 goals

= 12. Ismael Saibari (Morocco), 2 goals

= 12. Folarin Balogun (USA), 2 goals

= 12. Brian Brobbey (Netherlands), 2 goals

= 12. Daichi Kamada (Japan), 2 goals