World Cup Golden Boot: Messi leads Mbappe, Haaland before quarterfinals | World Cup 2026 News
Messi Leads World Cup Scoring Race After Win Over Egypt
Published On: July 8, 2026
Atlanta, GA — Argentina’s Lionel Messi has emerged as the frontrunner for the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot after netting his eighth goal in a thrilling 3-2 victory against Egypt in the Round of 16 match on Tuesday.
Messi’s scoring contribution was pivotal in helping Argentina come back from a 2-0 deficit during the match. His performance not only propelled his team forward but also allowed him to pull ahead in the tournament’s scoring race.
For three days, Messi shared the top spot with French striker Kylian Mbappe, each having scored seven goals. However, Erling Haaland of Norway joined the competition’s elite after netting two goals in Norway’s round of 16 match against Brazil on Sunday, bringing him to the same tally.
Messi first reached seven goals when Argentina defeated Cape Verde, and Mbappe followed suit the next day with a goal against Paraguay. England’s Harry Kane added to his total in a pulsating 3-2 match against Mexico, bringing his count to six goals.
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal and France’s Ousmane Dembele trail closely with four goals each.
The Golden Boot is awarded to the player who finishes the tournament as the top scorer. If players are tied, assists are the first tiebreaker, with total minutes played serving as a secondary criterion.
As of now, the leading scorers in the 2026 World Cup are:
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals, 1 assist
- Kylian Mbappe (France) – 7 goals, 2 assists
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 goals, 0 assists
- Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals, 1 assist
- Ousmane Dembele (France) – 4 goals, 2 assists
- Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) – 4 goals, 1 assist
Looking ahead, Kylian Mbappe will have an opportunity to increase his goal tally when France faces Morocco in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Historically, the Golden Boot has not been won more than once by any player; however, current competitors Mbappe, Kane, and Colombia’s James Rodriguez each seek a second title. Kane won the award in 2018 in Russia, and Rodriguez was the top scorer in 2014 in Brazil.
In the annals of FIFA World Cup history, French forward Just Fontaine retains the record for the most goals scored in a single tournament, with 13 goals during the 1958 event in Sweden.
Lionel Messi currently leads the all-time World Cup scoring list with 21 goals, followed by Kylian Mbappe with 19 goals and Germany’s Miroslav Klose with 16 goals.