Mbappe Overtakes Messi in World Cup Golden Boot Race Ahead of Final

France captain Kylian Mbappe has moved into the lead in the race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after scoring twice in France’s thrilling 6-4 defeat to England in Saturday’s third-place playoff.

The brace took Mbappe’s tournament tally to 10 goals, alongside four assists, placing him ahead of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who has scored eight goals and provided four assists heading into Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.

With one match left to play, Messi remains the only player capable of overtaking Mbappe in the race for the tournament’s top scorer award. The Argentina captain will need another outstanding performance in the final to close the two-goal gap.

England midfielder Jude Bellingham sits third in the standings with seven goals and one assist after helping his side secure third place.

Norway striker Erling Haaland also has seven goals but trails Bellingham because of the assist tiebreaker.

France winger Ousmane Dembele is fifth with six goals and two assists, while England captain Harry Kane has six goals and one assist.

Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal, who will feature in Sunday’s final, has scored five goals and registered one assist during the tournament.

The Golden Boot is awarded to the player who finishes as the competition’s leading scorer, with assists serving as the first tiebreaker if players finish level on goals.

Mbappe’s remarkable scoring form has strengthened his bid to claim the individual honour, although France missed out on a podium finish after conceding six goals to England in the third-place match.

Attention now shifts to Sunday’s final, where Messi will attempt to inspire Argentina to another World Cup title while also chasing the Golden Boot.

If the Argentine captain produces another decisive display against Spain, the race for the tournament’s top scorer could go down to the final whistle of the championship match.