India News

By Aarav Reddy — 15 July 2026 — 3 min read

The 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race is reaching its climax, with Lionel Messi of Argentina and Kylian Mbappé of France currently tied at the top of the scoring charts. Both players have eight goals as the tournament approaches its conclusion. Argentina has advanced to the final, while France will participate in the third-place match.

The Golden Boot is awarded to the player with the most goals. If there is a tie in goals, the player with more assists is given the award. Should assists also be tied, the player who has played fewer minutes receives the trophy. Currently, Messi holds an advantage with four assists compared to Mbappé’s three, placing the Argentinian in a favourable position for the award.

Key contenders in the Golden Boot race

Messi’s journey to the top of the scoring list includes a goal from the edge of the box. In Argentina’s second game against Austria, Messi scored twice, with one goal coming after he had missed a penalty. His seventh goal came in the round-of-32 win over Cape Verde.

Mbappé began his campaign with two goals in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal. He then scored twice against Iraq. In the knockout stages, Mbappé scored two goals against Sweden in the round of 32 and another against Morocco in the quarter-final. France’s semi-final loss to Spain meant Mbappé did not add to his tally in that match, but he still has the third-place playoff to play.

Other players still in contention, though trailing the leaders, include Jude Bellingham of England and Harry Kane, also from England, both with six goals. Ousmane Dembélé of France and Mikel Oyarzabal of Spain each have five goals. Erling Haaland of Norway had seven goals but is no longer able to add to his tally as Norway has been eliminated from the tournament.

Tie-breaking rules and historical context

The tie-breaking rules for the Golden Boot have evolved over time. Since 1992, the number of assists has been the primary tie-breaker. This rule was applied in 2010 when Thomas Muller won the award over David Villa, Diego Forlan, and Wesley Sneijder due to his three assists. In 2006, an additional tie-breaker was introduced: if both goals and assists are equal, the award goes to the player who achieved their goals in the fewest minutes played.

Historically, the Golden Boot has not always gone to a player from the winning team, with the last instance being Ronaldo in 2002. No player has ever won the Golden Boot twice, and Messi has yet to claim this award in his career. The 2026 tournament has seen a high number of goals, with Messi and Mbappé already tied at eight goals each, making it one of the highest-scoring races in the tournament’s history.

The third-place match, where France will play England, will be significant for the Golden Boot race, as goals scored in this match count towards the award. Messi will need to await the outcome of that game to see if Mbappé or other contenders can surpass his current standing.

Source: eu.usatoday.com