2026 World Cup Golden Boot Standings: Messi, Mbappé, and Top Scorers Update

The group stage of the 2026 World Cup has wrapped up, ushering in the knockout rounds where every goal counts even more. At the summit of the scoring charts, familiar names dominate once again. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are neck and neck with six goals each, continuing their striking form from previous tournaments.

New talents have also grabbed attention. Players like Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior, and Deniz Undav are making their marks by finding the net regularly, earning recognition worldwide.

Favorites to Win the Golden Boot

Before the tournament, betting odds favored familiar faces. Kylian Mbappé was the favorite, closely followed by England's captain, Harry Kane, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Norway’s Erling Haaland, despite his team’s uncertain prospects in later stages, remains a strong contender due to his impressive international scoring record. Ahead of legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, newcomers such as Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal were also considered dark horses.

Recap of the 2022 Golden Boot Winner

Kylian Mbappé made history at the 2022 World Cup by scoring a hat-trick in the final, becoming the first since Geoff Hurst in 1966 to do so. Although France lost in penalties to Argentina after a thrilling 3-3 draw, Mbappé claimed the Golden Boot with eight goals, building on his four goals during the victorious 2018 campaign.

Historical Golden Boot Winners

The FIFA World Cup has seen 22 different Golden Boot winners across its 22 editions. Not all top scorers come from the most famous stars, but a few stand out by leading their teams to glory while topping the scoring charts. This happened only three times: Mario Kempes in 1978 with Argentina, Paolo Rossi in 1982 with Italy, and Ronaldo in 2002 with Brazil.

All-Time Top World Cup Goal Scorers

Lionel Messi now holds the record for most goals scored in World Cup history with 19, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose who scored 16. Messi broke the record early in the 2026 tournament with a hat-trick against Algeria followed by another goal versus Austria.