The race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup has reached a historic peak, with Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Erling Haaland all tied at seven goals as the tournament enters the quarter-finals.
This marks the first occasion in World Cup history that three players have each reached seven goals by this stage of the competition.Mbappe seized the outright lead on July 5, scoring a penalty during France’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16.
This goal brought the French forward to a total of seven. The day prior, Messi had initially set the pace in the tournament, netting a crucial goal in Argentina’s dramatic extra-time victory over Cape Verde, which further extended his record as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Haaland, who scored twice in Norway’s shocking 2-1 victory over five-time champions Brazil on July 5, completed the trio at the seven-goal mark. His performance secured Norway’s advancement to the quarter-finals.As the competition progresses, should the tie persist into the final, the tiebreaker rules will be applied. These rules prioritize assists, followed by minutes played. Mbappe currently holds an advantage in this category.
England’s Harry Kane is closely following the leaders, sitting at six goals. He catalyzed England’s comeback against Mexico with a penalty in their 3-2 Round of 16 win, matching his output from the entire 2018 World Cup when he won the Golden Boot with six goals.Several players remain in contention, each with four goals: Jude Bellingham, who scored twice against Mexico; Ousmane Dembele, who netted a hat-trick in the group stage against Norway; and Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal.In parallel, the battle for the Golden Glove is equally competitive.
Mike Maignan of France leads the way, having conceded just two goals in five matches. Only Senegal and Norway have managed to score against him. Emiliano Martinez of Argentina, the reigning Golden Glove winner, aims to defend his title, while Spain’s Unai Simon has faced minimal challenges, conceding just six shots on target in his four appearances.
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