Messi and Mbappé lead 2026 World Cup scoring race

The race for the 2026 World Cup's Golden Boot is heating up, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé currently tied at the top of the goal-scoring chart. Both players have netted eight goals in their first five matches, vying for one of the few individual accolades Messi has yet to claim.

Following closely behind the co-leaders is Norway's Erling Haaland, who has scored seven goals. England's Harry Kane is also in contention with six goals. Further down the list, France's Ousmane Dembélé and England's Jude Bellingham have each scored five goals. Bellingham notably climbed the rankings after scoring against Norway in the quarterfinals.

Several other players have scored four goals, including Vinícius Jr. of Brazil, Ismaila Sarr of Senegal, Mikel Oyarzábal of Spain, and Julián Quiñones of Mexico, though most of these nations are no longer in the competition. A larger group of players have scored three goals, featuring prominent names like Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands, and Kai Havertz of Germany.

The Golden Boot has been officially awarded since the 1982 World Cup, though FIFA also recognizes top scorers from earlier tournaments. The record for the most goals in a single World Cup is held by France's Just Fontaine, who scored 13 goals in the 1958 tournament. Kylian Mbappé was the top scorer at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, earning him the Golden Boot.