Lionel Messi has taken the lead in the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot following a significant performance that propelled Argentina into a second consecutive World Cup final. The 39-year-old provided two assists during Argentina’s 2-1 comeback win against England in the semi-finals. This moved him ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappé based on the tournament’s official tiebreakers, positioning him to potentially finish as the competition’s top player.
Messi entered the semi-finals tied with Mbappé with eight goals each, as both captains had been prominent scorers throughout the tournament. Although neither player scored in the final four match, Messi’s contributions were crucial. With England leading 1-0 late in the game, the Argentina captain initiated the comeback by setting up both goals. He first assisted Enzo Fernández for the equaliser in the 85th minute, then delivered a cross in stoppage time for Lautaro Martínez to score the winning goal. This victory sends the reigning champions to Sunday’s final against Spain.
Messi’s decisive contributions
The two assists in the semi-final increased Messi’s tournament total to four, placing him ahead of Mbappé according to FIFA’s Golden Boot tiebreak criteria. This reflects the consistent performance Messi has displayed throughout Argentina’s title defence. He has directly contributed to Argentina’s attacking efforts at every stage of the tournament, combining eight goals with four assists and continuing to be a deciding factor in major matches.
He also extended his remarkable streak of either scoring or assisting to 13 consecutive World Cup matches, a record that remains unmatched within the same period.
Golden Boot race remains open
While Messi currently leads the standings, the Golden Boot race is not yet mathematically decided. France and England are scheduled to play in the third-place playoff, providing Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, and Jude Bellingham with another opportunity to increase their goal tallies and challenge Messi’s lead. Mbappé is the closest contender, trailing only on assists after matching Messi’s eight goals. Kane and Bellingham would need substantial scoring performances in the playoff to close the gap.
Erling Haaland is among the leading contenders but is no longer in contention for the award, as Norway exited the tournament in the quarter-finals. The 2026 World Cup has been noted for its exciting Golden Boot race, with two players already tied on eight goals, making it one of the highest-scoring races in the tournament’s history. Historically, on only five occasions has a player needed more than eight goals to win the award, and never before have two or more players reached that total.
Argentina will face Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium, with both the trophy and individual honours at stake. Another goal or assist against Spain would further solidify Messi’s position in the Golden Boot standings. With his closest rivals still having one final match to play in the third-place playoff, the race technically remains open, but Messi holds the advantage heading into the final match.
| Year | Golden Boot Winner | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Guillermo Stábile (Argentina) | 8 |
| 1934 | OldÅich Nejedlý (Czechoslovakia) | 5 |
| 1938 | Leônidas (Brazil) | 7 |
| 1950 | Ademir (Brazil) | 9 |
| 1954 | Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) | 11 |
| 1958 | Just Fontaine (France) | 13 |
| 1962 | Flórián Albert (Hungary) Valentin Iva… | 4 |
| 1966 | Eusébio (Portugal) | 9 |
| 1970 | Gerd Müller (West Germany) | 10 |
| 1974 | Grzegorz Lato (Poland) | 7 |
| 1978 | Mario Kempes (Argentina) | 6 |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi (Italy) | 6 |
| 1986 | Gary Lineker (England) | 6 |
| 1990 | Salvatore Schillaci (Italy) | 6 |
| 1994 | Oleg Salenko (Russia) Hristo Stoichkov… | 6 |
The World Cup Golden Boot is awarded to the tournament’s top goal scorer, with assists serving as the tiebreaker if players are level on goals. Notable past recipients include Just Fontaine, whose 13 goals in 1958 remain a single-edition record, along with Gerd Müller, Ronaldo, Miroslav Klose, and Mbappé, who won in 2022 with eight goals. No player has ever won the award twice, and Messi has yet to claim it. Barring a significant shift in the standings, the Golden Boot remains within Messi’s grasp.
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Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
