2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Standings and Top Scorers

Almost a week into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, attention turns to one of the tournament's most captivating stories—the battle for the Golden Boot. The award goes to the top scorer, and this year’s competition could be historic because Kylian Mbappé aims to become the first player to win it twice. Having claimed the Golden Boot in 2022, Mbappé began his quest with two goals against Senegal.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi set the pace by netting a hat trick against Algeria, putting him at the top after the initial matches. Below are the current standings, noting goals, assists, and minutes played, as these stats determine tiebreakers when players have the same number of goals. Assists come first; if those are equal, fewer minutes played ranks higher.

Golden Boot Standings (Updated June 25)

The list continues with players who have scored two or more goals, including notable names like Mikel Oyarzabal from Spain and Cody Gakpo from the Netherlands, both with two goals and one assist. Others with two goals but no assists include Folarin Balogun from the United States and Harry Kane from England.

Below them, players with single goals are ranked according to assists and minutes. A handful of rising stars from various nations have contributed with goals and assists, spreading out the excitement across many teams.

Golden Boot Race Highlights

Messi leads with 5 goals but no assists, playing 188 minutes.
Vinicius Jr. closely trails with 4 goals and 1 assist over 294 minutes.
Mbappé and Haaland both have 4 goals each, but no assists; Mbappé has fewer minutes.
Assists are crucial as tiebreakers; Deniz Undav’s 3 goals and 2 assists put him ahead of others with similar goal counts.

We think this race could tighten as the knockout rounds approach. Players' stamina and team strategies will weigh heavily on who ultimately claims the Golden Boot. For now, Messi holds the advantage, but the chase is far from over.