Who Will Win 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot? Messi, Mbappe, and Haaland Lead Race
- Lionel Messi is topping the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot standings with five goals after two matches for Argentina
- Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are close behind with four goals each in a race packed with records
- Harry Kane could yet join the battle as England prepare for their second group game against Ghana on Tuesday, June 23
The race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already turning into one of the greatest individual battles the tournament has ever witnessed.
After just two rounds of matches, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland have separated themselves from the chasing pack with a remarkable scoring spree that has lit up the competition.
Source: Getty Images
According to BBC Sport, Messi currently leads the standings with five goals in two games, while Mbappe and Haaland are breathing down his neck with four goals apiece.
It is only the second time in World Cup history that three players have scored four or more goals after two matches, and the first time since 1954.
With several knockout games still ahead, the battle for the tournament's top scorer award is shaping up to be one for the ages.
Messi continues to rewrite history
At 38, Messi is proving that age has done little to slow him down.
The Argentina captain followed his hat-trick against Algeria with another brace in the 2-0 victory over Austria, taking his tally to five goals and securing Argentina's place in the knockout stage.
His latest goals also pushed him past Miroslav Klose to become the outright leading scorer in World Cup history with 18 goals in 28 appearances.
Messi has now scored in six consecutive World Cup matches, joining Just Fontaine and Jairzinho as the only players to achieve the feat.
He has also become the fourth player to score five goals in the opening two games of a World Cup, following Sandor Kocsis, Just Fontaine, and Harry Kane.
Perhaps most impressively, every goal Argentina has scored at this tournament has come from Messi.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has also won 18 World Cup matches, surpassing Klose's previous record of 17 victories.
Mbappe and Haaland keep pace
If Messi thought he would run away with the Golden Boot, Mbappe and Haaland have other ideas.
Source: Getty Images
France captain Mbappe marked his 100th appearance for his country with two goals in the win over Iraq, taking his World Cup tally to 16 goals from only 16 matches, The Athletic reports.
The 27-year-old is now level with Klose for second on the all-time scoring list and is firmly on course to challenge Messi's record.
Mbappe has also extended his own record with six multi-goal World Cup games, underlining his ability to deliver on football's biggest stage.
Meanwhile, Haaland is enjoying a dream start to his first World Cup.
According to Fox Sports, the Norwegian striker scored twice against Senegal to take his tally to four goals in the tournament and 59 goals in 52 appearances for his country.
Haaland has now scored in 12 consecutive competitive matches for Norway and has found the net in 18 of his last 21 internationals.
He is only the second player in the last 50 years, after Harry Kane in 2018, to score more than one goal in each of his first two World Cup appearances.
Kane and others remain in contention
Although Messi, Mbappe, and Haaland currently dominate the charts, the race is far from over.
England captain Harry Kane, who scored twice in his opening game, still has plenty of time to catch the leading trio when England face Ghana.
Germany’s Deniz Undav and Canada’s Jonathan David are also staking a claim for the prestigious Golden Boot, having netted three goals apiece after two games.
History suggests Golden Boot races often change quickly, especially once the knockout stages begin.
But for now, the spotlight belongs to three extraordinary forwards.
Messi is chasing one final individual crown in what could be his last World Cup. Mbappe is determined to reclaim the trophy France lost in 2022, while Haaland is making up for lost time after missing the previous tournament.
Messi enters Guinness World Records
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Messi has again written his name deeper into football history after delivering another landmark World Cup performance, guiding Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria.
Following the match, Guinness World Records confirmed a fresh set of achievements for the Argentina skipper, further cementing his unprecedented World Cup legacy.
Source: Legit.ng
