FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot: Mbappe Catches Messi As Race Goes Down To The Wire

Published 10 July 2026 · sports

FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot: Mbappe Catches Messi As Race Goes Down To The Wire Published By, Last Updated: July 10, 2026, 08:52 IST

FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot: Mbappe Catches Messi As Race Goes Down To The Wire Published By, Last Updated: July 10, 2026, 08:52 IST Kylian Mbappe joined Lionel Messi on eight goals after firing France into the World Cup semi-finals, setting up a thrilling finish to the 2026 Golden Boot race. Rapid Read The race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot continues to heat up (AP) The race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot has become a heavyweight duel between two of football’s biggest stars. Kylian Mbappe pulled level with Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring charts after inspiring France to a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the quarter-finals, setting up a fascinating battle that could run all the way to the final. The France captain’s decisive strike not only helped Les Bleus secure a third successive World Cup semi-final appearance but also took his tournament tally to eight goals, matching Messi’s total after the Argentine starred against Egypt in the Round of 16.

Mbappe Responds After Penalty Miss France were made to work hard by a disciplined Moroccan side that had already stunned Canada en route to the last eight. Mbappe had the chance to break the deadlock earlier after France were awarded a penalty, but the forward was denied from the spot as Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou guessed correctly. The miss, however, failed to derail his evening. Just after the hour mark, Mbappe finally found the breakthrough with a superb right-footed curling effort before later turning provider as France sealed a comfortable victory to book a semi-final clash against either Spain or Belgium. Golden Boot Battle Intensifies Mbappe’s goal means he now shares top spot with Messi in one of the closest Golden Boot races in recent World Cup history. The Frenchman also holds the edge in the tiebreaker, having registered three assists compared to Messi’s one. Current Golden Boot standings Kylian Mbappe (France) – 8 goals, 3 assists Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals, 1 assist Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 goals Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals, 1 assist Ousmane Dembele (France) – 5 goals, 2 assists History Beckons Mbappe is chasing another slice of World Cup history.

Having finished as the Golden Boot winner at Qatar 2022 with eight goals, the 27-year-old is attempting to become the first player to win the award in consecutive World Cups. Messi, meanwhile, is aiming to add the Golden Boot to an already glittering international career. The Argentina captain has now scored 20 World Cup goals and remains firmly in contention to finish as the tournament’s leading marksman. Harry Kane and Erling Haaland also remain within striking distance, ensuring the race is far from over as the World Cup heads into its decisive final week. No player in World Cup history has won the Golden Boot more than once, meaning whoever comes out on top this year will create a new piece of tournament history. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Siddarth Sriram After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas.