July 16, 2026
Sport

Messi and Mbappé still in the Golden Boot race: How the 2026 World Cup top scorers battle stands before the final

The Golden Boot race still has Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé tied. The match that will determine the 2026 World Cup champions is the biggest event left in the tournament, but there is also an individual battle to follow as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé compete for the Golden Boot, awarded to the competition’s top scorer.

The race has been one of the tournament’s main storylines since the opening match, with both players leading their teams deep into the competition. They are not alone in the race, as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham remain close behind, but Messi and Mbappé currently sit at the top of the standings.

After seven matches each, Messi and Mbappé are tied with eight goals, with one game remaining for both players. Even if Mbappé can no longer win the World Cup after France’s semifinal loss to Spain, the third-place match against England gives him one final opportunity to add to his total.

Golden Boot table

RankPlayerTeamGoals1Lionel MessiArgentina81Kylian MbappéFrance83Erling HaalandNorway74Harry KaneEngland64Jude BellinghamEngland66Ousmane DembéléFrance56Mikel OyarzabalSpain58Vinícius JúniorBrazil48Ismaïla SarrSenegal48Julián QuiñonesMexico411Deniz UndavGermany311Johan ManzambiSwitzerland311Romelu LukakuBelgium311Cody GakpoNetherlands311Folarin BalogunUSA3

World Cup

**© Richard Pelham/Getty Images David Ramos/Getty Images**The race for the award is open

The match that will determine the 2026 World Cup champions is the biggest event left in the tournament, but there is also an individual battle to follow as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé compete for the Golden Boot, awarded to the competition’s top scorer.

The race has been one of the tournament’s main storylines since the opening match, with both players leading their teams deep into the competition. They are not alone in the race, as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham remain close behind, but Messi and Mbappé currently sit at the top of the standings.

After seven matches each, Messi and Mbappé are tied with eight goals, with one game remaining for both players. Even if Mbappé can no longer win the World Cup after France’s semifinal loss to Spain, the third-place match against England gives him one final opportunity to add to his total.

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