FIFA has confirmed that France captain Kylian Mbappe has moved ahead of Argentina superstar Lionel Messi in the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup adidas Golden Boot, despite both players being tied on eight goals after the quarter-finals.
Mbappe reclaimed the top spot after scoring his eighth goal of the tournament in France’s quarter-final victory over Morocco. The French forward also has three assists, giving him the edge over Messi, who has recorded eight goals and two assists. (Talksport)
Norway striker Erling Haaland sits third in the standings with seven goals following his brace against Brazil in the quarter-finals. England duo Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are next, each with six goals and one assist.
France winger Ousmane Dembele occupies sixth place with five goals and two assists, while Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr, Mexico’s Julian Quinones, Brazil’s Vinicius Junior and Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal have all scored four goals with one assist each. (Talksport)
According to FIFA, the adidas Golden Boot is awarded to the tournament’s highest goalscorer. If two or more players finish level on goals, the number of assists—determined by FIFA’s Technical Study Group—serves as the first tiebreaker.
Should players remain tied after goals and assists, the award will be decided by total minutes played, with the player who has featured for fewer minutes ranked higher. FIFA’s current standings place Mbappe ahead of Messi on assists, while the French forward has also logged fewer minutes so far in the tournament. (FIFA)
Top 10 adidas Golden Boot standings after the quarter-finals:
- Kylian Mbappe (France) – 8 goals, 3 assists
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals, 2 assists
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 goals
- Jude Bellingham (England) – 6 goals, 1 assist
- Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals, 1 assist
- Ousmane Dembele (France) – 5 goals, 2 assists
- Ismaila Sarr (Senegal) – 4 goals, 1 assist
- Julian Quinones (Mexico) – 4 goals, 1 assist
- Vinicius Junior (Brazil) – 4 goals, 1 assist
- Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) – 4 goals, 1 assist
