The race for the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot has heated up, with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland all putting in outstanding performances on a high-scoring day for the World Cup’s forward elite.The trio have already lit up the game, scoring a combined 13 goals and firmly establishing themselves at the center of the tournament’s most talked-about individual battles.Messi and Kylian Mbappe scored twice for Argentina and France respectively, while Haaland responded just hours later with a brace of his own for Norway in Monday night’s dramatic 3-2 win over Senegal.Haaland scored twice in the space of 15 minutes after half-time, making amends for missed opportunities – including a shot that deflected off the post and a header that was saved just before the break.Meanwhile, Messi continues to rewrite history and become fifa world cupArgentina became the all-time top scorer with 18 goals after defeating Austria in Arlington, Texas. The Argentina captain now leads the Golden Boot with five goals in just two games.Kylian Mbappe maintained his lead on the goalscoring charts after France’s 3-0 victory over Iraq in Philadelphia, taking his tally to 16 goals and firmly remaining a contender alongside the tournament’s perennial powerhouse.
Haaland’s rise adds new dimension to Golden Boot chase
While Messi and Kylian Mbappe have years of World Cup experience, Haaland is just beginning his journey on football’s biggest stage, with Norway returning to the tournament for the first time since 1998.Nonetheless, the 25-year-old striker has scored four goals and extended his scoring streak to 24 goals in 12 consecutive competitive games for Norway.Germany’s Deniz Undav and Canada’s Jonathan David both scored three goals, trailing the leading trio in the scoring charts.
The top ten scorers of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
| rank | player | Target |
| 1 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | 5 |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappe (France) | 4 |
| 3 | Erling Haaland (Norway) | 4 |
| 4 | Deniz Wendaff (Germany) | 3 |
| 5 | Jonathan David (Canada) | 3 |
| 6 | Crisencio Somerville (Netherlands) | 2 |
| 7 | Mikel Oyazábal (Spain) | 2 |
| 8 | Maxi Araujo (Uruguay) | 2 |
| 9 | Ayase Ueda (Japan) | 2 |
| 10 | Cody Gakpo (Netherlands) | 2 |
