List of all previous World Cup Golden Boot winners as Messi, Mbappe and Haaland battle for the top prize in 2026

The race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has turned into one of the most exciting in the tournament's history.

With three quarter finals, two semi finals and the final still to be played, five players remain firmly in contention. Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi lead the standings with eight goals each, while Erling Haaland is right behind on seven. Harry Kane has six, and Ousmane Dembele remains in the hunt with five. It is an incredibly tight battle, with every remaining knockout match capable of changing the leaderboard.

Mbappe moved level with Messi after scoring in France's quarter final victory over Morocco. The France captain finally broke Morocco's stubborn resistance in the second half after Les Bleus had struggled to find a way through.

The goal, however, was not without controversy. Mbappe had earlier missed a penalty, and his eventual strike came after an accidental handball by Adrien Rabiot during the build up. Although the incident sparked debate, the goal stood because the handball occurred in an earlier phase of play before France worked the ball back into the attack.

For every player, lifting the World Cup remains the ultimate dream. But finishing as the tournament's top scorer also guarantees a place in football history.

Unlike the Golden Ball, which is awarded to the tournament's best player and is decided by voting, the Golden Boot is determined purely by goals scored, making it one of football's most prestigious individual honours.

The award has been won by some of the greatest players the game has ever seen, including Just Fontaine, Gerd Muller, Ronaldo Nazario, Miroslav Klose, James Rodriguez and Mbappe himself. It has also produced memorable surprise winners, with Salvatore Schillaci in 1990 and James Rodriguez in 2014 enjoying extraordinary scoring runs on the biggest stage.

With seven matches, including the third place play off, still to be played, the race is far from over. Mbappe and Messi currently share the lead, but Haaland, Kane and Dembele are all within striking distance. One prolific performance over the coming days could completely transform the Golden Boot standings before the tournament reaches its conclusion.