Two Games Each And Five Contenders Left - Who Will Win The Greatest World Cup Golden Boot Race Ever?
Football Blog
Who Will Win The World Cup Golden Boot?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer across North America has undoubtedly been one of the best in the modern history of the competition.
Despite controversy over ticket prices, refereeing decisions and potential intervention from government, the action on the pitch during the tournament has mostly been superb viewing with some of the most memorable matches, moments and storylines to appear in World Cup history.
But alongside that, individual quality amongst team's established top stars has been perhaps the highest ever seen with many of the world's best players strutting their stuff in extremely high fashion, especially in attack.
The golden boot race still has multiple names that could end the tournament as the top goalscorer. Whilst Erling Haaland's seven goals will not be enough to get his hands on the award after Norway's elimination, five names still realistically can with a guaranteed two games still to go (through either the final or the third-placed playoff).
Kylian Mbappe - France (8 Goals)
Everyone knows the ability and talent of Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, however the France captain is quickly making a name for himself as 'Mr World Cup'.
Kylian Mbappe opens the scoring! 💪🇫🇷
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 9, 2026
#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/AbdrR141dC
Lionel Messi may have the title as the tournament's record scorer for now, but that may not be for too long, with Mbappe, twelve years Messi's junior at 27, is just one behind the Argentine legend with 20 goals in the competition with both players obliterating Miroslav Klose's record.
The French star is the current leader with 8 goals, with his latest being the opening goal in the quarter-final tie vs Morocco which saw his side go on to win 2-0.
Mbappe also scored the only goal from the spot in the previous round in France's fiery clash with Paraguay. As well as a brace in the round of 32 vs Sweden, meaning he has scored five goals in the last three matches since the beginning of the knockout stage.
With Mbappe just one goal behind Messi in the all-time World Cup scoring charts, it is hard to see how the Frenchman will not overtake the Argentinian in the list at some stage. But with a semi-final to play vs Spain as well as a final if they win or a bronze medal match if they don't, Mbappe will have two more matches to try and overtake Messi, and become the first player ever to win back-to-back FIFA World Cup golden boot awards, following on from the 2022 edition in Qatar where Mbappe's 8 goals, including a hat-trick in the final vs Messi's Argentina, saw him claim that tournament's award.
Lionel Messi - Argentina (8 Goals)
The timeless legend, Lionel Messi - despite being 39 years of age - continues to defy footballing logic.
After finally getting his hands on the golden prize four years ago, many believed that Messi's World Cup chapter in his incredible career was closed. However, four years on and Messi has not only appeared once more for Argentina at a joint-record sixth edition of the tournament, he looks as brilliant as ever.
LIONEL ANDRÉS MESSI 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/YuCa0gsDEI
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) July 7, 2026
Messi instantly hit the ground running in incredible fashion in the group stages, scoring a hat-trick in Argentina's opening match vs Algeria. Before scoring two more in the second game vs Austria, and then picking up one more for himself vs Jordan to score six goals in just three group stage matches.
But if you thought that Messi would slow down in the knockout stages, you'd be wrong. The forward opened the scoring with a trademark goal in the round of 32 stage vs Cabo Verde, bringing down a long ball with an exquisite touch before firing into the near corner of the net from close range which put him above former German striker Miroslav Klose in the all-time FIFA World Cup scoring charts.
And in the round of 16 with Argentina's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals looking almost dead at 0-2 down in the latter stages of the match, Messi reminded the world who he is by assisting Cristian Romero to half the deficit before smashing in a brilliant half volley off the crossbar for his eighth goal of this summer's tournament to level the match, as Argentina would go on to win 3-2.
Interestingly, despite Messi's 21 goals in World Cup history, the 39 year-old has never won the golden boot in the competition. He has won the Golden Ball award for best player twice, in 2014 and 2022, but has never come out on top as top scorer. His 7 goals in the previous tournament in Qatar was one behind Mbappe's eventual 8, and Messi will be looking to add one more individual award to his illustrious cabinet as he currently sits level with the Frenchman on 8 goals with two games remaining.
Jude Bellingham - England (Six Goals)
23 - Aged 23y 12d, Jude Bellingham is the second-youngest player to score 2+ goals in successive FIFA World Cup knockout stage games behind only Pelé in 1958 (17y 249d).
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 11, 2026
Talisman. pic.twitter.com/YBPN4RFhNJ
All eyes going into this summer's World Cup for England was understandably on captain Harry Kane to be the star to try and make football come home for the first time since 1966, and whilst the striker has been performing, it has mostly been attacking midfielder Jude Bellingham who has grabbed the headlines of the English media.
Despite questions over the Real Madrid man's place in Thomas Tuchel's starting XI ahead of the tournament, the 23 year-old quickly made sure any doubts were put to bed, as he scored two goals and grabbed an assist as England's standout performer alongside Kane and Elliot Anderson in the group stages as England topped their group with relative ease despite a wobble vs Ghana.
But it has been in the knockout stages where Bellingham has truly come alive.
The Three Lions round of 16 tie in Mexico City vs the joint-hosts Mexico was pointed as a difficult test despite England's unquestionable advantage in talent. The Estadio Azteca presents a difficult test in front of 80,000 Mexico supporters but England, and particularly Bellingham, rose to the occasion magnificently.
Two goals in two minutes from the midfielder saw England on their way to an eventual memorable 2-3 victory despite having ten players throughout the majority of the second half.
But if that hadn't already endeared himself to England fans everywhere, the following match in the quarter-final stage vs Norway certainly did as England first went 0-1 down 36 minutes in and looked potentially in trouble, but once more it was Bellingham who stepped up.
The midfielder took the ball on the edge of the Norway penalty area, drove into the box and found the far bottom corner to level the match just before the break, almost single handedly bringing England back into the game before pouncing on a goalkeeping error to put England in the lead in extra-time for his second goal of the match, which would prove to be the winner.
He just can't stop scoring!
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 11, 2026
Jude Bellingham gives England the lead in extra time with his 7th goal at this World Cup 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xgVaZGawoG
Bellingham's six goals this tournament puts him in joint-fourth place in the race behind Mbappe, Messi and Haaland, but he is three ahead of the next highing scoring midfielder - Switzerland's Johan Manzambi. And whilst it may seem unlikely the golden boot will be his, in the form Bellingham is currently in who would bet against another masterclass in the semi-final vs Argentina and some gloss in whichever match comes last?
Harry Kane - England (Six Goals)
Just like fellow countryman Bellingham, England skipper Harry Kane is right in the race for this summer's FIFA World Cup golden boot, finding himself level with his teammate on six goals so far.
Let's keep believing. Onto the semis. 🙌🏴 pic.twitter.com/MSwCZDdUnI
— Harry Kane (@HKane) July 12, 2026
Kane has had an outstanding season with Bayern Munich, winning the domestic double under Vincent Kompany and scoring an incredible 64 goals in all competitions along the way, and he has taken that form to the international stage with England in North America.
The striker began his tournament in style, hitting two goals in the opening match of the group stage vs Croatia as England won 4-2, before finding the net in the final group stage match vs Panama to help confirm England as group winners.
But just like Bellingham, it has been in the knockout rounds where Kane has truly burst into life. The captain scored both his side's goals in the round of 32 match vs DR Congo including a brilliant finish from outside the box for his second, helping England turn the match around from a goal down to win 2-1.
Kane also found the net in the next round against Mexico, with his goal proving to be the crucial winner from the spot, making it his sixth goal of the tournament. Kane has won the golden boot at the World Cup previously in 2018, and whilst no doubt his mind will be focused on delivering the trophy for the team, becoming the first player to win a second golden boot at the FIFA World Cup would also act as a strong motivation.
Ousmane Dembele -France (Five Goals)
The current holder of the Ballon d'Or, PSG's back-to-back UEFA Champions League winning star may have been somewhat overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe so far this tournament. But Ousmane Dembele is enjoying a fine summer of his own.
Ousmane Dembele | ديمبيلي 📸#FIFAWorldCup | #FRAMAR | #France pic.twitter.com/QK9hvUt6QJ
— ANAS | 4K (@Anpic4k) July 9, 2026
Despite being a part of the 2018 World Cup winning squad and the side that became runners-up in 2022, Dembele had never found the net at a World Cup in his career before the 2026 edition of the competition. But that all changed in France's second group stage match vs Iraq, with Dembele scoring his first World Cup goal, as well as grabbing an assist, in a 3-0 victory.
However, it was the next match vs Norway that Dembele's World Cup career really came alive as Dembele scored a brilliant hat-trick to take his individual tally up to four goals for the tournament, before scoring France's second vs Morocco in the quarter-finals to put himself on five and enter the race for the golden boot.
With Dembele finding himself three goals behind current joint-leaders Mbappe and Messi, it would take something special for the 29-year-old to end the tournament as top goalscorer. But after another stellar campagin with PSG, anything could be possible for the winger in what has proven to be an outstanding last two seasons since moving to Paris from Barcelona.
Harry Pascoe 
Simon Miller 
