We assess the leading contenders for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot, using the statistics to evaluate who is best placed to finish as the tournament’s top scorer.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico now on the horizon, we look at who could claim the Golden Boot award come the end of the tournament on 19 July.
We’ve selected six main candidates who either enter the tournament in stellar form or have plenty of experience on the global stage, along with other outside contenders looking to make an impact for their nations in North America.
Harry Kane
Lionel Messi (13 goals) also has a chance to break the record set in 2014.
Two more goals for Mbappé would also see him become France’s outright all-time top scorer, surpassing Olivier Giroud’s current record of 57.
Since last summer, Mbappé has tallied 49 goal involvements in 47 appearances across all competitions (43 goals, six assists – including the 2025 Club World Cup), one more than he managed in the previous 12 months (48).
If he can continue his Real Madrid form with the national team, France will fancy themselves to go all the way.
Erling Haaland
After winning his third Premier League Golden Boot in four seasons, it is no surprise to see Norway’s Martin Ødegaard in midfield.
Ødegaard topped the assists chart in the UEFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with four of his seven assists coming for Haaland; Ødegaard’s four assists to Haaland were the most for one player to a specific teammate in the UEFA qualifiers.
Lionel Messi
Messi finally got his hands on the coveted trophy in 2022, doing so in emphatic style, too.
The Argentinian became the first player in World Cup history to score in the group stage, round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final in a single edition of the tournament in 2022.
Messi holds the all-time record for most World Cup appearances, with 26 matches played (13 goals, eight assists), and during Argentina’s victorious campaign last time out, he scored or assisted 10 of their 15 goals (seven goals, three assists).
The 38-year-old’s availability for the World Cup was previously in doubt, but his impressive form for both Argentina and Inter Miami will see him lead his country on the global stage once again.
Messi scored the most goals in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, with eight, while he also provided the joint-most assists for Argentina (three).
In MLS this season, only Hugo Cuypers (13) has scored more goals than Messi’s 12, but the Inter Miami captain has the most goal involvements, registering 19 so far after also laying on seven assists.
Since 2010, Messi has played nearly every single minute of Argentina’s World Cup matches, with the only exception coming in the third group match in 2014, against Nigeria – he was substituted in the 63rd minute.
If that trend continues this time around, Klose’s record will certainly be in danger.
Cristiano Ronaldo
If Messi and Mikel Oyarzabal could be the player to lead the way for Spain.
Oyarzabal was Spain’s joint top scorer in qualifying, netting six times in as many games, level with Ousmane Dembélé, fresh off winning back-to-back Champions League titles, cannot be overlooked.
Since the start of 2024-25, Dembélé ‘s 80 combined goals and assists (54 goals, 25 assists) are the joint-sixth most of any player from Europe’s top five leagues, level with Yamal.
Kane (121), Mbappé (97), Mohamed Salah and
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