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By Goli Innocent
The race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already taking shape, with Lionel Messi emerging as the leading scorer after the completion of the opening round of group-stage matches.
The Argentina captain sits at the top of the standings with three goals following his hat-trick in La Albiceleste’s 3-0 victory over Algeria.
The performance gave Argentina a flying start to their campaign and underlined Messi’s enduring influence on the global stage.
A group of elite forwards are close behind with two goals each.
France captain Kylian Mbappe opened his tournament account with a brace in Les Bleus’ 3-1 win over Senegal, while Norway striker Erling Haaland scored twice in a commanding 4-1 victory over Iraq.
England captain Harry Kane also struck twice as the Three Lions defeated Croatia 4-2 in one of the most entertaining matches of the opening round.
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Germany’s Kai Havertz, United States forward Folarin Balogun, New Zealand attacker Elijah Just and Sweden midfielder Yasin Ayari are also among the early contenders after scoring two goals apiece for their respective countries.
The expanded 48-team format is expected to produce more matches and goals than any previous World Cup, setting the stage for a highly competitive Golden Boot race as the tournament progresses.
Highest goalscorers after Round 1
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 3 goals
Kylian Mbappe (France) – 2 goals
Erling Haaland (Norway) – 2 goals
Harry Kane (England) – 2 goals
Kai Havertz (Germany) – 2 goals
Folarin Balogun (United States) – 2 goals
Elijah Just (New Zealand) – 2 goals
Yasin Ayari (Sweden) – 2 goals
Several other players have also opened their accounts with one goal, including Jamal Musiala of Germany, Raul Jimenez of Mexico and Canada’s Cyle Larin.
With two more group matches still to be played by each team, the battle for the Golden Boot remains wide open.
However, after the first round of fixtures, Messi holds the early advantage in the race to finish as the tournament’s top scorer.
