Usually a subplot, the race for the World Cup Golden Boot is one of the main talking points at the 2026 tournament as the top marksmen set a blistering pace.
The overall record has already been broken by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, who now has 18 goals over six World Cups after adding five in two games in the United States.
But he is being chased hard by Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland — who have four goals apiece — with Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane also in the mix.
Norway’s Erling Haaland scores his team’s third goal during their 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the US on June 22, 2026. — Reuters
The long-standing single-tournament record of 13 goals set in 1958 by France’s Just Fontaine appears vulnerable.
