The battle at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is not only for the trophy but also for the Golden Boot.
As İdman.Biz reports, following the latest round of last-32 matches, Argentina captain Lionel Messi and France striker Kylian Mbappe sit joint top of the scoring charts with six goals each. Mbappe drew level with Messi after scoring twice in France's 3-0 victory over Sweden, leaving the two superstars tied at the summit.
Norway forward Erling Haaland remains firmly in contention with five goals. The prolific striker scored the winner against Ivory Coast and is now just one goal behind the two leaders, making him one of the strongest candidates to claim the tournament's top scorer award.
Brazil's Vinicius Junior and France winger Ousmane Dembele are next on the list with four goals apiece. Both players represent teams considered among the favourites to lift the World Cup trophy.
Notably, all five leading scorers are still active in the tournament. Argentina, France, Norway and Brazil have already secured places in the last 16, guaranteeing each of them at least one more opportunity to add to their goal tallies.
Several other players also remain in the race. England captain Harry Kane, Canada striker Jonathan David and DR Congo forward Yoane Wissa could still challenge the leaders if their teams continue advancing through the knockout stage.
While Messi, Mbappe and Haaland have started to pull away from the rest of the field, World Cup history has repeatedly shown that one outstanding performance in the knockout rounds can completely reshape the Golden Boot standings.
