2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Race Tracker: Lionel Messi Is Alone At The Top

Who'll win the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? The race is on for who'll score the most goals at the tournament, and it is set to be one of the tournament's most closely watched storylines.

Several of the world's top forwards will be aiming to finish as the competition's leading goalscorer. Kylian Mbappé enters the tournament after winning the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Mikel Oyarzabal are among the other players expected to challenge for the award.

And check out our list of all the 2026 World Cup goals, ranked!

But keep an eye on USA's Folarin Balogun, who had a two-goal effort in the win over Paraguay. The USA striker has gone from +125000 (pre-tournament) to +4000 (currently) to win the award.

Favorites To Win The Golden Boot

Lionel Messi: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)
Kylian Mbappé: +270 (bet $10 to win $37 total)
Erling Haaland: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Harry Kane: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)
Kai Havertz: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Cristiano Ronaldo: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Folarin Balogun: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Mikel Oyarzabal: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Vinícius Júnior: +2700 (bet $10 to win $280 total)
Lautaro Martínez: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Lamine Yamal: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Romelu Lukaku: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Cody Gakpo: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Michael Olise: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)

3 Goals

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

2 Goals

Erling Haaland (Norway)
Kylian Mbappé (France)
Elijah Just (New Zealand)
Yasin Ayari (Sweden)
Kai Havertz (Germany)
Folarin Balogun (USA)

1 Goal

Marko Arnautović (Austria)
Ali Olwan (Jordan)
Romano Schmid (Austria)
Leo Østigard (Norway)
Ayman Hussein (Iraq)
Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal)
Bradley Barcola (France)
Ramin Rezaeian (Iran)
Mohammad Mohebbi (Iran)
Maxi Araújo (Uruguay)
Abdulelah Al-Amri (Saudi Arabia)
Emam Ashour (Egypt)
Alexander Isak (Sweden)
Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden)
Mattias Svanberg (Sweden)
Omar Rekik (Tunisia)
Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast)
Keito Nakamura (Japan)
Daichi Kamada (Japan)
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands) 
Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands)
Felix Nmecha (Germany) 
Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany) 
Jamal Musiala (Germany) 
Nathaniel Brown (Germany) 
Deniz Undav (Germany)
Connor Metcalfe (Australia)
Nestory Irankunda (Australia)
John McGinn (Scotland)
Ismael Saibari (Morocco)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil)
Breel Embolo (Switzerland)
Gio Reyna (USA)
Mauricio (Paraguay)
Cyle Larin (Canada)
Jovo Lukić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Ladislav Krejcí (Czechia)
Julián Quiñones (Mexico)
Raúl Jimenez (Mexico)
Hwang In-Beom (South Korea)
Oh Hyeon-Gyu (South Korea)

Own Goals

Yazan Al-Arab (Jordan; 1)
Ayman Hussein (Iraq; 1)
Mohamed Hany (Egypt; 1)
Miro Muheim (Switzerland; 1)
Damián Bobadilla (Paraguay; 1) 

Last 5 Golden Boot Winners

• 2022 (Qatar): Kylian Mbappé (France) – 8 goals
• 2018 (Russia): Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals
• 2014 (Brazil): James Rodríguez (Colombia) – 6 goals
• 2010 (South Africa): Thomas Müller (Germany) – 5 goals
• 2006 (Germany): Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 5 goals