World Cup 2026 Golden Boot: Messi, Mbappe, Bellingham and Kane in all-time battle for top gong
The race is well and truly underway for the 2026 Golden Boot World Cup with star names in the running.
The award recognizes individual excellence in international football’s major leagues, tracking goals scored across the competition.
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FIFA also renamed the award from the Golden Shoe to the Golden Boot for the 2010 edition and that’s not the only change.
In 1994, a tiebreaker system was introduced, taking into account help if players finished the level with the same number of successful strikes.
Meanwhile, in 2006 it was introduced that if players cannot be separated by goals or assists, the award is given to the person with the fewest minutes on the field.
The second Englishman after Gary Lineker to win this award was Harry Kane as captain of the Three Lions in the semi final of the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
Most recently, France’s Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick against Argentina in 2022, scoring eight goals in the tournament in total.
Kane and Mbappe are in the race for the top gong again this summer and Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham will once again have a say.
These four stars are in the semi-finals of the World Cup and all hope to boycott their nations.
So who will be the recipient of the Golden Boot after the final whistle blows in New Jersey?
Current position
6. Ousmane Dembele (France)
Terms: 5
Site: 2
Dembele is one of the jewels in France’s attacking crown and it’s no surprise given his impressive form at the World Cup.
The Ballon d’Or winner scored four goals in the group stage, including a hat-trick against Norway.
Despite conceding goals against Sweden and Paraguay, Dembele issued a timely reminder of his qualities with a cool finish in France’s quarter-final against Morocco.
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4= Jude Bellingham (England)
Goals: 6
Help: 1
Somehow, there were questions about Bellingham’s place in the England squad ahead of the tournament.
But the Real Madrid man has shown his best in North America.
After scoring against Croatia and Panama in the group stage, Bellingham scored twice in two minutes against Mexico in the round of 16.
He was on fire again in the quarter-finals, scoring another goal against Norway.
4= Harry Kane (England)
Goals: 6
Help: 1
Kane was among the goals in another big tournament.
He scored in the Three Lions’ first game against Croatia and again against Panama.
He then produced two stunning braces against DR Congo in the Round of 32 to knock England out of the hole and keep their tournament alive.
The Bayern Munich star also played in the last 16, scoring an important penalty against Mexico.
Kane, who won the Golden Boot in 2018, has broken a number of England records this summer and will be aiming for more.
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3. Erling Haaland (Norway) – OUT
Goals: 7
Help: 0
Haaland is already Norway’s all-time leading goalscorer and wasted no time in proving that on the international stage by scoring twice in the first half of their first game against Iraq.
He followed it up with another title in their second group game when Norway beat Senegal 3-2.
Haaland was rested in the last group game in Norway against France but found the net again with the winner in their Round of 32 game against Ivory Coast.
And he produced his best with a good double against Brazil in the Round of 16 but could not help Norway as they were knocked out by England.
Haaland now have 62 goals in just 55 games.
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1 = Kylian Mbappe
Goals: 8
Help: 3
Mbappe won the World Cup at 19, then went on to become the tournament’s top scorer four years later as France finished runners-up in Qatar.
During his time at Real Madrid, the 27-year-old has kept 42 goals in 44 appearances for the Spanish giants.
He started the tournament by scoring the same goal against Senegal, which made him surpass Olivier Giroud as the leading scorer in France, and added two more against Iraq.
He turned provider against Norway, set up two goals for Dembele and stole the game against Sweden, shooting two stunners.
Mbappe scored his seventh goal in the penalty shootout against Paraguay before making it eight with a stunning effort in France’s quarter-final against Morocco.
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1= Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Goals: 8
Help: 4
Messi narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot last season in the competition despite receiving the big prize.
Argentina’s squad is still built around the 39-year-old, and he has repaid his unwavering faith by scoring goals at will this summer.
He started with a hat-trick in their first game, beating Algeria 3-0.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner overtook Miroslav Klose for the all-time record with two goals against Austria in their second game.
Argentina faced Jordan in the final group game and, you wouldn’t know it, he scored a free-kick off the bench.
He then produced his best goal yet to score when Argentina beat Cape Verde in the round of 32.
And, despite missing an early penalty, he scored another and assisted another as his country completed a remarkable comeback against Egypt last week.
Messi was unable to score in the semi-final against England, however, he assisted both goals that allowed him to reach four.
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