The World Cup trophy is the big team prize. But there’s a second race happening alongside it that everyone’s watching just as closely — the Golden Boot, awarded to whoever scores the most goals in the whole tournament.
A week into World Cup 2026, the race is already heating up. Here’s where things stand.
Currently Leading the Pack
Right now there are two names tied at the top — Lionel Messi and Jonathan David, both on three goals.
Messi got there first with a hat trick against Algeria in Argentina’s opening match. At 38 years old, playing what could be his final World Cup, he’s clearly not slowing down. That hat trick also tied him with Miroslav Klose for the most World Cup goals scored by any player ever — 16 across five tournaments.
Then Jonathan David matched him a few days later with his own hat trick in Canada’s historic 6-0 win over Qatar — a result that also made him just the second CONCACAF player ever to score a World Cup hat trick, after a feat that hadn’t been repeated since 1930.
Two hat tricks. Two different stories. Same number of goals.
Right Behind Them
A big group of players are sitting on two goals each, keeping this race wide open. That list includes some serious names — Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane among them.
Mbappé is chasing something historic of his own — no player has ever won the Golden Boot twice, and he’s trying to become the first after winning it back in 2022. His double against Senegal also made him France’s all-time leading World Cup scorer.
Haaland scored twice in his very first ever World Cup match — Norway hadn’t qualified since 1998, so this was a long time coming for him. Kane, meanwhile, also has two goals already and is no stranger to this race, having previously won the Golden Boot himself.
USA’s Folarin Balogun also opened with a brace against Paraguay, while Mexico’s Raul Jimenez and Canada’s Cyle Larin have both gotten on the scoresheet for their respective co-host nations too.
Why This Race Matters So Much
The Golden Boot isn’t just a trophy — it’s the difference between a great tournament and a legendary one. Just Fontaine’s all-time single-tournament record of 13 goals from 1958 still stands almost 70 years later. Nobody has come close.
This year’s field is stacked with three former Golden Boot winners alone — Mbappé, Kane, and James Rodríguez — all competing at the same time. Add in Messi chasing one final piece of unfinished business in what might be his last World Cup, and you’ve got one of the most stacked individual races this tournament has ever seen.
Our Take — Who Wins It?
Early days, but here’s our honest read. Messi’s experience and Argentina’s deep tournament potential make him a serious threat to lead wire to wire — the further his team goes, the more chances he gets.
But don’t sleep on Jonathan David. Canada is co-hosting, meaning extra matches on home soil with a crowd behind them, and David already looks locked in. If Canada keeps winning, he keeps getting chances.
Mbappé is the wildcard worth watching closest though — a player chasing history with the talent to actually pull it off. If France goes deep, he’s the one most likely to make a late surge.
How to Bet on the Golden Boot with Eybet
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- Register on Eybet — Asia’s trusted online sports betting platform
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- Head to Sports → FIFA World Cup 2026 → Outright Markets → Golden Boot
- Pick the player you think will finish as top scorer
Eybet covers Golden Boot odds for every major contender, updated as the tournament progresses.
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