The group stage of the 2026 World Cup has barely begun, the race for the Golden Boot is already showing familiar names. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé lead the scoring table, which revives the intense rivalry they starred in Qatar 2022.
In the tournament held in Qatar, Mbappé was crowned top scorer with eight goals, closely followed by Messi, with seven.
Both were decisive in the final and marked the pulse of one of the highest scoring editions in recent years.
How the 2026 World Cup scorers table is going
So far, the ranking features the following players in the top positions:
- Lionel Messi (Argentina): 3 goals
- Jonathan David (Canada): 3 goals
- Matheus Cunha (Brazil): 2 goals
- Vinícius Júnior (Brazil): 2 goals
- Kylian Mbappé (France): 2 goals
- Harry Kane (England): 2 goals
- Erling Haaland (Norway): 2 goals
- Other players: 2 goals each
Messi, author of a hat trick in Argentina’s debut, equals David, who scored a double against Qatar. Mbappé, for his part, has already scored two goals and is looking to repeat the start he had in the 2022 World Cup.
Comparison with Qatar 2022
In Qatar, the dispute for the Golden Boot continued until the final:
- Mbappé scored in almost every phase of the tournament, including a hat trick in the final.
- Messi combined goals and assists and won the Ballon d’Or.
- Julián Álvarez (4 goals) and Olivier Giroud (4 goals) completed the first places in the classification.
In 2026, the table appears more balanced. Established forwards like Haaland, Kane and Vinícius have already scored two goals, while players like Jonathan David and Johan Manzambi show that the format expanded to 48 teams opens more opportunities for new figures.
Projections
With several matches still to be played in the group stage, the race for the Golden Boot remains open. Messi, at almost 39 years old, maintains his ability to make a difference. Mbappé, in physical prime, aspires to become the first footballer to win two consecutive Golden Boots in the World Cup.
Will the duel between Messi and Mbappé be repeated in the fight for the title of top scorer? The 2026 World Cup is just beginning, but both are once again among the main protagonists.