Kylian Mbappe Takes Lead in World Cup 2026 Golden Boot Race Ahead of Lionel Messi

The fight for the golden boot at the World Cup 2026 is heating up as Kylian Mbappe has overtaken Lionel Messi in the scoring chart, though both share the same number of goals. Their rivalry is joined by notable names like Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland, who remain hot on their heels.

Messi impressed once again after a hat-trick against Algeria followed by two goals versus Austria, showing resilience despite a penalty miss. He also scored coming off the bench against Jordan, adding to his tally.

Mbappe responded with a strong performance, scoring twice in France’s 3-0 win over Sweden, securing a last-16 spot and nudging ahead in the rankings due to assists, even though goals are equal.

Haaland kept his streak alive by scoring his 13th consecutive international goal, delivering a late winner in Norway’s clash against Ivory Coast. His five goals put him just behind the tournament leaders.

Other contenders include Harry Kane, who scored with a header against Panama, Vinicius Jr with two goals against Scotland, and Ousmane Dembele, who netted a remarkable hat-trick versus Norway.

Ties in goals are broken first by assists, then minutes played, and finally the goals-per-minute ratio to rank players.