The race for the World Cup Golden Boot has emerged as one of the main talking points of the 2026 tournament, with top strikers setting a blistering scoring pace, reports AFP.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has already broken the overall record, taking his tally to 18 goals across six World Cups after scoring five in his last two matches in the United States.
He is closely followed by Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, both on four goals, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane remain in contention.
The long-standing single-tournament record of 13 goals, set by France’s Just Fontaine in 1958, now appears under threat. Germany’s Gerd Muller was the last player to reach double figures, scoring 10 goals in 1970, with most top scorers since then finishing on six or fewer.
Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, has been the standout performer so far in the tournament across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. He scored a hat-trick against Algeria and added two more in a 2-0 win over Austria, contributing all five of Argentina’s goals.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said it was “hard to explain” the veteran’s brilliance, adding, “We are amazed with him still… he’s been the best for 20 years. He still pulls it off every single match.”
Mbappe, who scored eight goals in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is seen as Messi’s closest challenger if France go deep in the tournament. The 27-year-old Real Madrid star said he was focused on his team despite comparisons with Messi.
Level with Mbappe on four goals, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has continued his scoring run, netting in 12 consecutive competitive matches for Norway and reaching 59 goals in 52 internationals.
“It’s like many other things, I’m just really good at scoring goals and I’m quite lucky,” Haaland said. “I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s just how it is.”
Germany’s Deniz Undav and Canada’s Jonathan David have three goals each, while Kane and Ronaldo are among a group on two goals.
Ronaldo briefly made headlines after becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments. The 41-year-old struck twice in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, following a quiet opening draw against DR Congo.
“I’m back, I’m back,” Ronaldo said after the match, adding, “I always arrive, even if it’s later, but I’m there.”
Kane, Golden Boot winner in 2018, remains on two goals after missing a key chance in England’s draw with Ghana.
US striker Folarin Balogun, also on two goals, said he aims to reach the level of the world’s elite. “Seeing players like Messi, Mbappe, Haaland — they’re so inevitable… For me, it’s about trying to be consistent too.”
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
