Lionel Messi is tied with Kylian Mbappe for the Golden Boot at the FIFA World Cup 2026
Both players are tied at 8 each
England's Bellingham and Kane are the nearest rivals to both the players
Lionel Messi has guided Argentina to a second consecutive FIFA World Cup final, inspiring the reigning champions to a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over England at Atlanta Stadium. Trailing after Anthony Gordon's second-half opener, Argentina struck twice in the closing stages through Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, with Messi providing assists for both goals.
The 39-year-old captain's masterclass sealed a showdown against Spain in Monday's (IST) final, as Argentina moved one win away from becoming the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup title.
Messi-led Argentina have now successfully orchestrated comeback victories in every match since their round of 16 encounter with Egypt.
Who Can Beat Messi For Golden Boot Race?
The two assists marked yet another remarkable evening for the 39-year-old, whose impact has been crucial to Argentina's journey to a second consecutive World Cup final.
The Argentine maverick currently tops the Golden Boot race with eight goals and four assists, totaling 12 goal contributions in the tournament, placing him ahead of France's captain Kylian Mbappe, who has recorded eight goals and three assists.
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals | Assists |
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 8 | 4 |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappe | France | 8 | 3 |
| 3 | Erling Haaland | Norway | 7 | 0 |
| 4 | Jude Bellingham | England | 6 | 1 |
| 5 | Harry Kane | England | 6 | 1 |
| 6 | Ousmane Dembele | France | 5 | 2 |
| 7 | Mikel Oyarzabal | Spain | 5 | 1 |
| 8 | Ismaila Sarr | Senegal | 4 | 1 |
| 9 | Julian Quinones | Mexico | 4 | 1 |
| 10 | Vinicius Junior | Brazil | 4 | 1 |
Currently, both teams have one match left to play - Argentina is set to compete against Spain in the final, while France will go up against England in the third place match on Sunday (IST).
Third-Place Playoff Could Decide the Golden Boot Winner
Only Mbappe poses a threat to Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. The prospects of Messi securing the numero uno prize will only become evident following the third place match.
Mbappe and Messi are tied at 8 each and unless England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who have six goals each, score a hat-trick, it is certain that either Messi or Mbappe will claim the coveted award.
If two or more players end up with the same number of goals, FIFA initially considers assists as the tiebreaker. Should the players also be tied in assists, the Golden Boot is granted to the player who has spent the least amount of time on the field throughout the tournament.
