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“Sometimes in football, you have to score goals.”
We are a week into the 2026 World Cup and Thierry Henry’s words ring truer than they ever have.
While the overall trophy is the key focus for all 48 teams, the Golden Boot award for the most prolific goalscorer is up for grabs too.
The winner of that award can be unpredictable, as the trophy hasn’t fallen to a player in the tournament’s winning side since 2002, when Ronaldo scored eight for Brazil on their way to a record-breaking fifth World Cup.
No one has bested Just Fontaine’s record-breaking tally in 1958, when the France forward netted 13 times despite the nation losing in their semi-final. But with 16 more teams and 40 more matches than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the stage is set for more goals than ever.
So, how does the race look?
=1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 3 goals
Messi thought he had scored early on in Argentina’s World Cup opener against Algeria, only for the goal to be chalked off after he was found to be offside. There was no offside question, though, when he whipped one in from 20 yards out later in the first half.
In the second period, Messi scored his second after Luca Zidane in the Algeria goal spilt a low-range shot from Alexis Mac Allister straight to the Argentina captain, leaving him with an easy finish.
To seal his hat-trick, Messi characteristically bent the ball from the edge of the box as though he was passing to a teammate behind the goal, with Zidane nowhere near.
1. Jonathan David (Canada) – 3 goals
Canada coach Jesse Marsch stuck with David for the second group-stage game after the Juventus forward had endured a tricky opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, leading to the Juventus forward being withdrawn after an hour.
And David repaid Marsch’s faith, scoring twice in the first half as Canada took a commanding 3-0 lead. For his first, David volleyed in emphatically after Tajon Buchanan had seen a shot deflected, while his second was a show of determination to beat the defender to a loose ball and stab it into an empty net.
For his hat-trick, David controlled a shot from distance from Nathan Saliba, turned and finished on his left foot.
3. Folarin Balogun (U.S.) – 2 goals
Balogun scored two goals in 19 minutes in the USMNT’s 4-1 victory over Paraguay to take an early lead in the race for the World Cup Golden Boot.
He sidefooted home a cross from Christian Pulisic to score his first goal in the 31st minute, while the 24-year-old’s second goal came after he received a pass from Malik Tillman, put Paraguay defender Omar Alderete on the floor and blasted a shot with his weaker left foot high into the opposition net. The former Arsenal striker could have had a hat-trick, but his first goal was disallowed for offside.
Balogun began his career at Arsenal. The striker was prolific in the north London club’s youth team and scored two goals in ten first-team appearances before a successful 2022-23 loan spell at Reims (where he scored 22 goals in 39 games and rivalled Kylian Mbappe for Ligue 1 top scorer) earned him a permanent move to Monaco in the summer of 2023.
Since pledging his international allegiance to the U.S and making his debut in June 2023, he has scored 11 goals in 23 games for the side.
3. Kai Havertz (Germany) – 2 goals
Havertz scored twice in Germany’s World Cup opener against Cucarao; his first a penalty to put his side 3-1 up in first-half added time and his second a chipped finish late on to cap the 7-1 victory.
The Arsenal forward will have chances to add to his tally in Germany’s remaining Group E games, where they face tougher opposition in Ivory Coast and Ecuador, who conceded only five goals in 18 South American qualifying matches.
3. Yasin Ayari (Sweden) – 2 goals
The Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder scored Sweden’s first goal in their 5-1 win over Tunisia but muted his celebration, due to his father hailing from the north African nation.
Ayari bookended the Sweden victory with a strike from range in second-half added time and did allow himself more of a celebration.
3. Elijah Just (New Zealand) – 2 goals
New Zealand put together two fine team moves for their goals against Iran, with Motherwell winger Just involved in and finishing both of them.
Perhaps that should not be a surprise, with only veteran strikers Chris Wood (45) and Kosta Barbarouses (10) having scored more goals than Just’s nine for New Zealand coming into the World Cup.
3. Kylian Mbappe (France) – 2 goals
France are perhaps the favorites to win the World Cup and Mbappe helped get their campaign off to a strong start, netting twice in their 3-1 win over Senegal.
After missing a big chance earlier in the second half, Mbappe opened the scoring in the 66th minute from close range after being slipped in by Michael Olise. He extended France’s lead in added time with a powerful strike from distance.
3. Erling Haaland (Norway) – 2 goals
Not to be outdone by Real Madrid star Mbappe, just a few hours later, Haaland responded with two goals of his own as Norway beat Iraq 4-1.
His first goal was a characteristic finish from inside the six-yard box, as he slid in to meet David Moller Wolfe’s low cross from the left. For his second, the Manchester City striker closed down the Iraq goalkeeper and forced the ball into the net.
3. Harry Kane (England) – 2 goals
Kane was handed a lifeline after missing a penalty for England, with a VAR review finding that Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic had encroached. The Bayern Munich striker buried the retake, before heading home from a Declan Rice corner later in the first half.
3. Johan Manzambi (Switzerland) – 2 goals
Manzambi broke the deadlock in the 74th minute in what had been an end-to-end Group B match, volleying in from the middle of the box.
From almost the same spot 16 minutes later, Manzambi was on hand with another first-time finish, diverting Ruben Vargas’ low cross past Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.
Manzambi could have had a hat-trick too, but Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka opted to take an added-time penalty himself, converting to seal a 4-1 victory.
3. Cyle Larin (Canada) – 2 goals
Larin became the first player to score in two World Cup matches when he reacted quickest to poke home from a save in Canada’s second game.
The Southampton striker had scored Canada’s opening goal at the tournament a few days earlier, only to see them later concede and draw 1-1 with Bosnia.
11. 54 players – 1 goal
Five own goals
Who are among the favourites this year?
Mbappe and Kane arrive at the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico as the only two men playing to have won the award before.
Mbappe has enjoyed a prolific year with Real Madrid, scoring 25 in La Liga and 15 in the Champions League over 42 games in total. He also scored against Brazil in a March friendly to take his international tally to 56, one behind France’s all-time leader Olivier Giroud with 57.
Kane has similarly been on fine form for club and country. The Bayern Munich striker scored 36 goals on his way to winning the 2025-26 Bundesliga, the most of anyone in Europe’s top leagues, also netting 14 in the Champions League.
The 32-year-old is England’s main attacking threat and has registered five for his country over this campaign too.
Haaland won the Premier League’s Golden Boot award this year, registering 27 goals for Manchester City as they mounted a title charge against Arsenal, eventually finishing second, and will look to extend his form in Norway’s first World Cup since 1998.
Meanwhile, Messi has had a strong season with Inter Miami, scoring 12 in 14 Major League Soccer appearances so far this season after winning the 2025 MLS Golden Boot award (29). He scored seven in the 2022 World Cup as Argentina went on to win the tournament.
