Lionel Messi sits top of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot race with 5 goals, ahead of a glittering chasing pack. According to the major outlets' Golden Boot trackers, the Argentina captain has not only led the chart but added a piece of history along the way. (Goal)
Messi, the World Cup's all-time top scorer
With his brace against Austria, Messi took his all-time men's World Cup tally to 18 goals, becoming the outright leading scorer in the tournament's history. Remarkably, across six World Cups he has never won the Golden Boot — and he has never been closer. (FOX Sports)
The standings
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) — 5
- Vinícius Júnior (Brazil) — 4
- Kylian Mbappé (France) — 4
- Erling Haaland (Norway) — 4
- Deniz Undav (Germany) — 3
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) & Harry Kane (England) — 2 each
Our take: Messi holds the numerical and psychological edge, but the Golden Boot is usually decided in the knockout rounds — whoever goes deepest plays more games and gets more chances. The winner will hinge on his nation's run as much as on today's tally.
Follow Malaab Al-An for goal-by-goal coverage of the 2026 Golden Boot race.