We’re almost a week away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and that means it’s the perfect time to start looking at one of the great stories of this once-in-a-four-year tournament.
The search for the Golden Boot.
The 2026 World Cup could make history, given the presence of Kylian Mbappé. In the history of this event, no player has won the Golden Boot twice. After winning the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup, Mbappé could become the first player to achieve that feat, if he were to win again this year.
Mbappé’s brace against Senegal got his campaign for a second Golden Boot off to a good start, but Lionel Messi’s hat trick against Algeria put the Argentine legend at the top of the list after his first game.
Here is the current standings in the fight for the Golden Boot. You will notice that assists and minutes played are listed, as those are the two tiebreakers to determine the winner of the Golden Boot. In the event of a tie, the player with the most assists will take first place.
If the tie persists, the player with the fewest minutes played is classified ahead.
Note: Table last updated on Friday, June 19 after Brazil-Haiti: