The race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot has become one of the closest in the tournament’s history. Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland are all tied on seven goals as the tournament heads into the quarter-finals.
The three stars have delivered outstanding performances throughout the competition. Their battle for the top scorer award is expected to continue until the final stages of the tournament.
Mbappé, Messi and Haaland set the pace
Mbappé moved to seven goals after scoring a penalty in France’s 1-0 Round of 16 victory over Paraguay. The goal pushed him to the top of the scoring chart before his rivals caught up.
Messi had briefly led the race after finding the net in Argentina’s dramatic extra-time victory over Cape Verde. The goal also extended his record as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Haaland completed the three-way tie by scoring twice in Norway’s memorable 2-1 win over Brazil. His goals helped eliminate the five-time world champions and secured Norway’s place in the quarter-finals.
The trio have also made World Cup history. It is the first time that three players have scored at least seven goals before the quarter-final stage of the tournament.
If they remain tied after the final, FIFA will use assists to decide the winner. If they are still level, the player with fewer minutes played will receive the Golden Boot. Mbappé currently has the advantage under those rules.
Kane remains within touching distance
England captain Harry Kane is still in the race. He has scored six goals after converting a penalty in England’s dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Mexico in the Round of 16.
Kane won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup with six goals. He has already matched that total and still has up to three matches to add to his tally.
Several other players are also chasing the award. Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembélé and Mikel Oyarzabal have each scored four goals. They remain outsiders but could close the gap with strong performances in the knockout rounds.
Golden Glove race remains wide open
The race for the Golden Glove is also becoming more competitive.
France goalkeeper Mike Maignan is among the leading contenders. He has conceded only two goals in five matches, with Senegal and Norway the only teams to score against him.
Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez is also in contention. The reigning Golden Glove winner hopes to become the first goalkeeper to retain the award.
Spain’s Unai Simón is another strong candidate. He has enjoyed an impressive tournament and has rarely been troubled by opposing attacks.
With the quarter-finals approaching, both the Golden Boot and Golden Glove races remain wide open. Every goal and every save could decide who claims the tournament’s top individual honors.
