2026 World Cup: Messi, Mbappé, and Haaland stand out in the race for the Golden Shoe

At the end of the first two days of the 2026 World Cup, the race for the Golden Boot seems to be shaping up around three names: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland. The three forwards have indeed found the back of the net in each of their first two appearances in the tournament, confirming their status as the main contenders for the tournament’s top scorer title. At the top of the rankings is Lionel Messi with five goals. The captain of Argentina made a strong impression with a hat-trick against Algeria (3-0). He then continued his momentum with a double against Austria (2-0), bringing his total to five goals.

Behind him, Kylian Mbappé keeps pace with four goals. The Real Madrid forward scored a double against Senegal before doing it again against Iraq. Thanks to this streak, the French international has become the fourth player in history to score at least two goals in three consecutive World Cup appearances, joining Sándor Kocsis, Guillermo Stábile, and Lionel Messi. Erling Haaland completes the provisional podium with four goals. The Norwegian striker also scored two doubles, against Iraq and Senegal, respectively.

The last day of the group stage could be decisive in this battle from a distance. Mbappé and Haaland will face each other in a duel that could heavily influence the award of the Golden Boot. As for Messi, he will try to maintain his lead and continue his impressive tally in the Argentine jersey.