2026 World Cup Top Scorers: Live Golden Boot Rankings for Messi, Mbappe & Others
The group stage of the 2026 World Cup has wrapped up, ushering in the knockout rounds filled with intense competition and goal-scoring drama.
Among the top scorers so far, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe hold the spotlight once again, both leading with six goals each after their recent matches. They remain the tournament’s most lethal forwards, continuing a trend seen in the previous World Cup.
New names have also emerged on the scoring charts. Norway's Erling Haaland has netted five goals, while Brazil's Vinicius Junior stands with four. Germany's Deniz Undav, among others, is making his mark with three goals, showcasing fresh talent in this edition.
2026 Golden Boot Betting Favorites
Before the tournament began, Kylian Mbappe was the slight favorite to claim the Golden Boot, followed closely by England captain Harry Kane, according to DraftKings Sportsbook odds. Erling Haaland also draws attention despite Norway's lower expectations for advancing far.
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal is another player to watch, rated ahead of legends like Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo who are competing in their sixth World Cups.
Recap: 2022 World Cup Golden Boot Winner
Kylian Mbappe made history in 2022 as the first player since Geoff Hurst in 1966 to score a hat-trick in the final. Despite France’s narrow loss to Argentina in a 3-3 thriller decided by penalties, Mbappe took home the Golden Boot with eight goals, including two penalties, across seven matches. He had previously made a mark in 2018 with four goals.
Past World Cup Golden Boot Winners
Every World Cup has produced a top scorer, sometimes surprising fans with unexpected names. A look at the winners over the years shows that the award does not always go to the biggest stars but rather those who find the net most effectively during the tournament.
When Has the Golden Boot Winner Also Lifted the World Cup?
Out of 22 World Cups, only three players won the Golden Boot and helped their team win the trophy in the same year. The first was Mario Kempes in 1978 with Argentina, who scored twice in the final. Then Paolo Rossi led Italy in 1982, also scoring in the final. Two decades later, Ronaldo powered Brazil’s 2002 victory with two goals in the final match.
All-Time World Cup Top Scorers
Lionel Messi now holds the record for most goals in World Cup history with 19, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose who scored 16. Messi reached this milestone early in the 2026 tournament, including a hat trick against Algeria and further goals versus Austria.
