With Messi, Mbappe, Haaland and Kane all firing, who will finish as top goalscorer?
It was a World Cup where football stars played – and it led to one of the most competitive golden boot races in history.
Lionel Messi leads the way with eight goals at the age of 39, but both Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are also on fire and close to seven, with Harry Kane also in the race with six.
And since Argentina, France, Norway and England are all still in the competition as we reach the quarter-final stage, the race to finish the competition as the best scorer will be intense, even the players are talking about it.
But which player is likely to take the prize? 101GreatGoals takes a closer look at all the top contenders ahead of the final eight.
Competitors in the golden shoe race
Lionel Messi
Eight goals, one assist, five games, 410 minutes played
The 2022 World Cup seemed to be his peak in the world, but four years later he is still proving why he can be the greatest, scoring an incredible eight goals in five games for Argentina, breaking Miroslav Klose’s record as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer as he now sits on 21 points.
Although the 39-year-old player is not a top-class striker like his rivals and sometimes doesn’t go well on the pitch, he still knows how to start life at the right time.
In addition, the entire Argentina team is built around putting its icon in a position where he can make a difference, because he is well equipped to do so.
Argentina were out of the tournament before Messi scored a late equalizer against Egypt in the round of 16 and are now on a nine-game World Cup scoring streak.
Kylian Mbappe
Seven goals, two assists, five games, 441 minutes played
Messi should enjoy being the top scorer in the World Cup for as long as possible, because Mbappe will take this mantle from him at some point in his life.
The French player now has 19 World Cup goals in 19 games in the tournament, including seven in North America.
After some struggles at club level with Real Madrid, the World Cup seems to be where Mbappe lives, with the 27-year-old combining well with France’s top team and putting in the kind of performances that have seen many call them favourites.
Mbappe is pulling out his teammates to help them so far, which could be crucial if the race ends level. Most likely, however, he is playing for a team that looks like it could go a long way.
Erling Haaland
Seven goals, no assists, four games, 360 minutes played
Only eight players have broken the eight-goal mark at the World Cup in almost a century of competition – but three are on the verge of doing so in 2026, with Haaland joining Mbappe on seven so far – even if the extended format has helped.
Haaland’s record is perhaps the most impressive of the four we’ve highlighted, as he’s managed seven in one small game and nearly 100 minutes – and the fact he’s done it for relative underdog Norway.
Any concerns that the 25-year-old might struggle to play on the world stage were quickly dispelled, and his impressive double in the win over Brazil in the Last 16 showed the player’s ferocity, making his international record a ridiculous 62 goals in 54 games.
The Golden Boot usually goes to the player who stays in the tournament, which can count against Haaland for reaching the final is a step too far for Norway despite an impressive World Cup.
Beat England, though, and Haaland might have as good a chance as any of his rivals.
Harry Kane
Six goals, one assist, five appearances, 443 minutes played
The one thing that unites these four players is their immense importance to their respective sides – and Kane is no different with England.
The Bayern Munich forward has six goals and an assist so far, with a brace against DR Congo making him England’s record goalscorer at the World Cup and fifth on the all-time list.
But even by Kane’s standards, the 2025-26 season, following this summer, was a fantastic one, after he became only the second male player to surpass 70 goals in a single season.
Kane and Jude Bellingham have been England’s highlights in this World Cup so far, meaning they are sure to stay in contention if the Three Lions stay in the competition until the semi-finals or final.
Is there anyone else?
Six players scored four goals but only three teams remained in the competition Ousmane Dembele, Mikel Oyarzabal and mentioned above Bellingham.
Both Dembele and Bellingham are unlikely to break through as their club’s top scorers, but Oyarzabal will add to his tally if Spain win a second World Cup.
However, covering the leading pocket tally can be very difficult.
Golden Boot winner: Our verdict
Norway are the most likely to bow out early, taking Haaland out of the equation, and either Messi or Kane will miss the chance to play three more games in what could be a semi-final meeting.
With France in such high form and looking set for a third successive World Cup final, we are backing Mbappe to add another Golden Shield to the list of achievements.
Our prediction: Kylian Mbappe
