Lionel Messi Leads 2026 World Cup Scoring, Chased by Vinícius Júnior, Mbappé, and Haaland

Lionel Messi has taken a clear lead in the race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup, scoring all five of Argentina's goals in the tournament so far. His recent performance against Austria was crucial; after missing a penalty, Messi struck a precise left-footed shot to break Miroslav Klose's record with his 17th World Cup goal. Before the match ended, he added another goal, bringing his total to 18 World Cup goals, surpassing Brazil's Marta for the highest tally across men's and women's tournaments.

By Tuesday afternoon, eight players had scored at least three goals in this edition of the World Cup, with Messi holding the top spot.

Golden Boot Standings

Close Pursuers in the Golden Boot Race

Vinícius Júnior trails Messi by just one goal, having scored four times, including two first-half strikes against Scotland. He also leads his closest rivals with one assist, giving him an advantage over Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, who each have four goals but no assists. Both Mbappé and Haaland have scored twice in every group stage match. Haaland, playing in his first World Cup, helped Norway reach the knockout round and is set to face Mbappé on Friday in a Group I decider.

Deniz Undav, Germany’s impactful substitute, has become a surprise contender. He netted two goals in a recent match, raising his total to three goals along with two assists, proving his value off the bench.

Noteworthy Hat Tricks

Messi and Jonathan David from Canada are the only players with hat tricks so far. Messi’s came during Argentina’s opening win over Algeria, while David’s three-goal effort helped Canada secure its first-ever World Cup victory, a 6-0 win over Qatar.

This Golden Boot contest remains tightly packed, and we will keep updating this page as the tournament unfolds. Bookmark it to follow who leads the scoring charts next.