Lionel Messi Extends Lead in 2026 World Cup Scoring Race with Late Goal

Lionel Messi has now scored six goals in the 2026 World Cup, all for Argentina, putting him clearly ahead in the race for the Golden Boot. His latest came from a stunning free kick late in the group stage, adding to his earlier hat trick against Algeria and two goals versus Austria.

At the end of the group matches, Messi tops the charts with six goals. He stands apart from four other players who have each scored four goals so far in the tournament.

Current Top Scorers at the 2026 World Cup

Friday saw Ousmane Dembélé deliver a remarkable performance for France, scoring three goals within 32 minutes against Norway, marking the second-fastest hat trick in World Cup history. His tally rose to four, matching teammate Kylian Mbappé, who assisted on two of those goals. Mbappé took home the Golden Boot in 2022.

Vinícius Júnior from Brazil scored twice against Scotland, while Norway’s Erling Haaland has also netted four goals but was rested in the last group game since Norway had already secured their place in the Round of 32.

Hat tricks have been recorded by Messi, Dembélé, and Canada’s Jonathan David. David’s three goals helped Canada claim their first-ever World Cup victory, a dominant 6-0 win over Qatar.

This page will continue to track the Golden Boot contenders as the tournament progresses. We think fans will enjoy following who takes the lead next.