World Cup top scorer: How will Messi, Mbappe, Kane Golden Boot race be decided?
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- The 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race is highly competitive, with Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Kylian Mbappe (France) both leading with 8 goals each, followed closely by Erling Haaland (Norway) with 7 goals.
- Since 1992, ties in the Golden Boot are broken first by the number of assists, then by the fewest minutes played, with Messi currently leading on assists (4) compared to Mbappe (3).
- Notable contenders also include England's Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, both with 6 goals, and France's Ousmane Dembele and Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal with 5 goals each.
- The Golden Boot has not been won by a player from the World Cup-winning team since 2002, when Brazil's Ronaldo scored eight goals en route to their fifth title.
- The award's history dates back unofficially to the 1930s, becoming official as the "Golden Shoe" in 1982, with recent winners including Mbappe in 2022 and Kane in 2018.
