World Cup 2026 Golden Boot race: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland in epic battle
Lionel Messi has retaken the lead in the race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup.
The superstars are delivering on the biggest stage of them all and are setting a blistering pace in the race to be the tournament's top goalscorer in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Messi has scored seven goals so far after his strike in Argentina's win over Cape Verde took him one above France striker Kylian Mbappe, while England captain Harry Kane and Norway striker Erling Haaland are also in the mix.
How the race for the Golden Boot stands...
Miroslav Klose started the tournament out in front on the all-time World Cup goalscoring chart with 16 goals, but both Messi and Mbappe have overtaken the ex-Germany striker.
Haaland became Norway's leading goalscorer at World Cups after just two games, while Kane has gone past Gary Lineker as England's top World Cup scorer.
Golden Boot contenders will be targeting Just Fontaine's 1958 record of 13 goals in a single tournament.
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Only three players in World Cup history - Fontaine, Germany's Gerd Muller in 1970 and Hungary's Sandor Kocsis in 1954 - have ever hit double figures at a single tournament.
Most World Cup tournaments played: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (six each)
First player to score in six World Cups: Cristiano Ronaldo
Oldest player to score multiple goals in a game: Cristiano Ronaldo
Smallest nation to appear at a World Cup: Curacao
Most red cards in an opening match: Mexico vs South Africa (three)
Most-attended World Cup
Highest-scoring World Cup
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6 of July 2026
