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World Cup 2026 Golden Boot race: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland in epic battle

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have all scored seven goals in race for World Cup Golden Boot; Harry Kane is also in the mix with six to his name; ex-France striker Just Fontaine holds the record for the most goals in a single tournament with 13 in 1958

Monday 6 July 2026 04:12, UK

Golden Boot

Erling Haaland has moved level with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup.

The superstars are delivering on the biggest stage of them all and are setting a blistering pace in the race to be the tournament's top goalscorer in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Haaland led Norway into the quarter-finals for the first time and boosted his position in the goalscorer standings by scoring twice to send Brazil home. He now shares top spot with Mbappe and Messi on seven in the scoring charts.

Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane is the next best with six goals after his penalty helped his side edge co-hosts Mexico 3-2 to set up a last-eight clash with Norway.

How the race for the Golden Boot stands...

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Who will win the Golden Boot? Have your say...

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Could more records tumble?

Miroslav Klose started the tournament out in front on the all-time World Cup goalscoring chart with 16 goals, but both Messi and Mbappe have overtaken the ex-Germany striker.

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Haaland became Norway's leading goalscorer at World Cups after just two games, while Kane has gone past Gary Lineker as England's top World Cup scorer.

Also See:

Golden Boot contenders will be targeting Just Fontaine's 1958 record of 13 goals in a single tournament.

Only three players in World Cup history - Fontaine, Germany's Gerd Muller in 1970 and Hungary's Sandor Kocsis in 1954 - have ever hit double figures at a single tournament.

What other records have been broken?

Most World Cup tournaments played: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (six each)

First player to score in six World Cups: Cristiano Ronaldo

Oldest player to score multiple goals in a game: Cristiano Ronaldo

Smallest nation to appear at a World Cup: Curacao

Most red cards in an opening match: Mexico vs South Africa (three)

Most-attended World Cup

Highest-scoring World Cup