Lionel Messi might win the World Cup again, but this prized trophy could still elude him. The Argentina superstar has won just about everything in football except for the Golden Boot, the award for the tournament’s leading scorer.
Going into the final weekend, Messi was leading the charts. However, Kylian Mbappe changed the entire equation on Saturday during France’s wild 6-4 loss to England in the third-place match. Mbappe scored twice, taking his tournament tally to 10 goals. With those two goals, Mbappe pullled ahead in the Golden Boot race; and also overtook Messi on the all-time list of leading goalscorers in men’s FIFA World Cup history. Mbappe now has 22 career World Cup goals, leaving Messi one behind.
With 10 goals in 2026, Mbappe became the first player with 10 goals in a World Cup since Germany great Gerd Mller in 1970.
This leaves Messi, who currently sits on 8 goals, with a mountain to climb in Sunday’s final against Spain at MetLife Stadium.
The math is straightforward but incredibly tough. If Messi scores a single goal, it will not be enough. If he scores twice, he will match Mbappe on 10 goals. In case of a tie, the award goes to the player with the most assists. Because both Messi and Mbappe are currently deadlocked on four assists each, a simple brace would still keep them tied.
To claim the Golden Boot outright, Messi needs a spectacular hat-trick, or a brace accompanied by an assist. If Argentina beat France and Messi finishes ahead of Mbappe in the scoring charts, he will become the first Golden Boot winner to lift the World Cup since Ronaldo scored eight goals for Brazil in 2002.
Golden Boot Race
1. Kylian Mbappe (France) – 10 goals, 4 assists
2. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals, 4 assists
3. Juide Bellingham (England) – 7 goals, 1 assist
4. Erlng Haalang (Norway) – 7 goals, 0 assists
5. Ousmane Dembelle – 6 goals, 2 assists
But, it’s not going to be easy.
Messi has to achieve this against a defensively brilliant Spain side. Led by goalkeeper Unai Simóon, La Roja have reached the final having conceded just one solitary goal across the entire tournament. They are a disciplined, possession-heavy machine marshalled by midfield engine, Rodri.
MESSI FOR GOLDEN BALL?
Rodri has been the absolute heartbeat of Spain’s campaign, dictating tempos with mechanical precision. He has completed a record-breaking 648 passes during this tournament in North America, smashing his own all-time World Cup record of 638 set in Qatar.
Alongside Rodri, Spain boast 19-year-old winger Lamine Yamal, who has provided the attacking flair with a tournament-high 30 successful dribbles.Because of their immense tournament impact, both Rodri and Yamal are heavily in the conversation for the Golden Ball, the award given to the tournament’s best player. This means the race for the Golden Ball is far from a foregone conclusion for Messi.
Messi is already the only player to win the Golden Ball twice, having claimed it in 2014 and 2022. Leading his country to a second straight final at the age of 39 keeps him as a massive favourite for a record-extending third.
But while individual honours like the Golden Ball remain voted on by the media and FIFA’s technical group, the Golden Boot is decided by pure numbers. Messi finished second in the goalscoring charts in 2022, and unless he can break through Spain’s iron-clad defence on Sunday, the elusive Boot might escape his legendary cabinet once again.
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