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According to a report by Evening Standard on Thursday July 16, 2026, the race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains finely balanced heading into the final weekend of the tournament, with Argentina captain Lionel Messi holding a narrow advantage over France star Kylian Mbappe.
Messi currently leads the standings after another remarkable campaign that has seen him guide Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final. While the veteran forward has not found the back of the net since Argentina’s 3-2 quarter-final victory over Egypt, he remains at the top of the Golden Boot race thanks to his overall goal contributions.
The Argentine captain produced assists in his side’s victories over Switzerland and England, giving him the edge over Mbappe on the tournament’s tie-breaking criteria. With both players level on goals, Messi’s additional assists have proved decisive in keeping him ahead.
The World Cup has also seen Messi continue to rewrite football history. During Argentina’s run to the final, he became the first player ever to score in six consecutive World Cup knockout matches. He also surpassed Miroslav Klose to become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup finals history.
Despite Messi’s advantage, the race for the Golden Boot is still far from over. Mbappe remains firmly in contention and will have the opportunity to improve his tally when France face England in the third-place play-off. A goal or assist in that match would increase the pressure on Messi before Argentina take on Spain in the World Cup final.
England captain Harry Kane is also among the leading contenders after scoring six goals during the tournament. The striker has once again demonstrated his consistency on football’s biggest stage and will look to add to his tally when England meet France.
Kane is joined on six goals by teammate Jude Bellingham, whose impressive performances throughout the competition have established him as one of England’s standout players. Bellingham boosted his tally with a brace in the quarter-final victory over Norway and remains in contention for the individual award.
With both the third-place play-off and the World Cup final still to come, the Golden Boot race remains open. Every goal and assist in the remaining matches could prove decisive in determining who finishes as the tournament’s leading scorer.
