Who will win the Golden Boot race at FIFA World Cup 2026? Mbappe in the lead with Messi hot on heels ahead of final

Kylian Mbappe leads the scoring charts after his brace against England, but Lionel Messi can still snatch the Golden Boot in the World Cup final against Spain.

Published on: Jul 19, 2026, 07:24:50 IST

By Shirin Gupta

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot has come down to the final match of the tournament. France star Kylian Mbappe has thrown down the gauntlet after scoring twice in France's dramatic 6-4 loss to England in the third-place play-off on Saturday.

Kylian Mbappe leads the scoring charts after his brace against England, but Lionel Messi can still snatch the Golden Boot in the World Cup final against Spain. ((AP Photo/Abbie Parr) and (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP))

His performance moved him to the top of the scoring charts, but Lionel Messi still has one last chance to overtake him when Argentina face Spain in the World Cup final.

Also read: FIFA World Cup final weather: Could thunderstorms disrupt Spain vs Argentina at MetLife?

Mbappe vs Messi for the Golden Boot Race 2026

The final has become more than a battle for the World Cup trophy. It could also decide the tournament's top scorer. Messi needs two goals against Spain to draw level with Mbappe in goals.

Mbappe's latest brace lifted him to 10 goals in the tournament. That is the highest tally at a men's World Cup this century. No player had reached double figures since Germany legend Gerd Muller scored 10 goals at the 1970 World Cup.

The French forward has also strengthened his place among the greatest World Cup scorers in history. His latest goals moved him to 22 career World Cup goals, putting him ahead of Messi's 21 before the final.

Messi now enters what could be his final World Cup match with two major prizes at stake. Victory over Spain would give Argentina another world title. Two goals would also hand him the Golden Boot. The Argentina captain would win the Golden Boot because he has recorded more assists during the tournament.

However, any other outcome would see Mbappe become the first player to win the Golden Boot twice.

Also read: Why France vs England third-place playoff could produce a never-seen feat in 96 years of FIFA World Cup history?

Who were the other contenders for the Golden Boot?

The race behind the top two has also produced standout performances.

England midfielder Jude Bellingham climbed to third after scoring against France. His seven-goal haul is the most by an England player in a single World Cup. He moved ahead of Norway striker Erling Haaland on assists. England captain Harry Kane and France winger Ousmane Dembele remain one goal further back.

Bellingham is now also in the running for the Golden Ball against Haaland, Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha and Spain's Lamine Yamal. Messi is the only player in World Cup history to have won the Golden Ball twice and is the leading contender in World Cup 2026.

Other players in the running include Spain's Rodri and Mikel Oyarzabal, and France's Michael Olise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shirin Gupta
Shirin Gupta is a content producer with the Hindustan Times. She covers everything between politics, entertainment and sports at the US desk. Shirin got interested in political journalism during her time as a web editor at her college newspaper NCC News in Syracuse when she first started seeing the effects of national politics in life of her fellow colleagues. Shirin has worked on a wide range of fast-moving and developing stories locally when she was at NCC editing accessible reports for the audience. Her current role requires her to track real-time updates, verify information and present balanced coverage across diverse beats. Covering US politics from an international newsroom perspective has further deepened her understanding of how domestic decisions can have far-reaching global consequences. With a keen interest in international affairs, Shirin continues to build her expertise in geopolitics, policy shifts, and cross-border developments. She aims to learn and evolve her reporting in matters of geopolitics and international issues. Outside the newsroom Shirin writes about books and music for her personal blog. She is an avid consumer of pop culture and reveres literature.Read More

Catch all the latest Sports News, scores, and highlights in one place. Stay updated with real-time coverage of your favorite games and athletes along with Lionel Messi latest updates.