Kane vs Haaland vs Mbappe vs Messi: Spotlight On FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot Race

FIFA World Cup’s business end is here. So is race for the Golden Boot as the Round of 16 is knocking on the door.

Harry Kane's match-winning brace against DR Congo has drawn him level with Erling Haaland on five goals, while Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi remain tied at the top with six goals each.

Mbappe and Messi set the pace

Mbappe currently leads the Golden Boot standings on six goals and two assists from four matches, giving him the edge over Lionel Messi, who also has six goals but is yet to register an assist.

The France captain began his campaign with a brace in a 3-1 win over Senegal before scoring twice again in a 3-0 victory over Iraq. After drawing a blank against Norway, Mbappe returned with another brace in France's 3-0 Round of 32 win over Sweden.

His six goals have also taken his overall FIFA World Cup tally to 18, moving him into outright second place on the tournament's all-time scoring list, behind only Lionel Messi.

Messi, meanwhile, made a spectacular start by scoring a hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria. At 38 years and 357 days, he became the oldest player in men's FIFA World Cup history to score both a brace and a hat-trick in the tournament. He also surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo's record as the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, previously set at the 2018 tournament.

The Argentine great followed that performance up with a brace in a 2-0 win over Austria before scoring again in a 3-1 victory against Jordan. His strike against Jordan took his career FIFA World Cup tally to a record 19 goals.

Messi could move ahead of Mbappe in the Golden Boot race if he scores in Argentina's Round of 32 clash against Cape Verde.

Kane and Haaland keep pressure on leaders

Harry Kane reignited the Golden Boot race with two late goals in England's dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over DR Congo. England had fallen behind early after Brian Cipenka scored in the seventh minute, but Kane struck in the 75th and 86th minutes to send his side into the Round of 16.

The England captain had earlier scored twice against Croatia in England's opening match before adding another goal in the group-stage win over Panama. He now has five goals in the tournament, drawing level with Erling Haaland.

Haaland also has five goals after opening his campaign with a brace against Iraq and another double against Senegal. Although he failed to score against France, the Norwegian striker found the net in his side's Round of 32 victory over Ivory Coast and will look to add to his tally against Brazil in the Round of 16.

Dembele and Vinicius remain in contention

France winger Ousmane Dembele is also firmly in contention with four goals and two assists. After opening his account against Iraq, he scored a hat-trick against Norway to move among the tournament's leading scorers.

Brazil's Vinicius Junior also has four goals but sits behind Dembele because he has registered just one assist.

With the knockout rounds underway, the race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot remains wide open. While Mbappe and Messi currently share the lead, Kane, Haaland, Dembele and Vinicius Junior are all within touching distance, setting up an exciting battle for the tournament's top scorer award.

(With inputs from ANI)