The race for the Golden Boot of the 2026 World Cup has a new solo leader. Lionel Messi scored again in Argentina’s 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the round of 16 and reached eight goals in the tournament, a figure that places him at the top of the scoring table and keeps alive the assault on one of the oldest records in world football.
The Argentine captain was five goals away from the historic record of 13 goals that the Frenchman Just Fontaine established in Sweden 1958, a mark that has remained intact for almost seven decades and that no footballer has managed to equal since then.
The goal against Egypt also broke the tie that Messi had with Kylian Mbappé in the scoring classification. The French striker has seven goals and will look to respond when France faces Morocco in the quarterfinals, while Erling Haaland remains in contention after leading Norway’s historic campaign.
The three attackers are still alive in the World Cup and are focusing attention on the fight for the Golden Boot.
Messi signs the best World Cup of his career
Beyond the scoring leadership, North America 2026 already represents Lionel Messi’s most productive World Cup.
With eight goals, the Argentine far surpassed his records from Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, consolidating the best scoring production of his World Cup career.
In addition, he expanded his status as the top Argentine scorer in the history of the World Cups and continues to add chapters to a career that already places him among the most decisive footballers the tournament has ever had.
Fontaine continues to be the great reference
Just Fontaine’s record has stood the test of time.
The French striker scored 13 goals in just six games during Sweden 1958, a record that remains the most goals scored by a footballer in a single edition of the World Cup.
Since then, several scorers have come close, but none have managed to break that barrier.
Ronaldo Nazário scored eight goals in Korea-Japan 2002; James Rodríguez finished with six in Brazil 2014; Harry Kane reached six in Russia 2018; and Kylian Mbappé scored eight goals in Qatar 2022.
Now it is Messi who equaled that figure of eight goals and appears as the footballer with the best chance of getting close to the Frenchman’s legendary record.
Before thinking about Fontaine’s 13 goals, Messi has a closer goal in the historical table of a single World Cup edition.
With eight goals in the 2026 World Cup, the Argentine captain is three goals away from equaling the 11 scored by Hungarian Sándor Kocsis in Switzerland 1954, the second best individual mark in a World Cup.
He was also two away from the 10 goals scored by the German Gerd Müller in Mexico 1970. Thus, each match that Argentina continues to play not only keeps alive the pursuit of the absolute record, but also the possibility of Messi climbing towards the historic podium of scorers in the same edition.
Everything will depend on the route of Argentina
The Argentine captain’s chances will not depend only on his scoring ability, but also on the path of the Albiceleste.
If Argentina reaches the final, Messi will have three more games to try to reduce the difference with Fontaine. If the tour concludes before, the record will survive one more edition.
For now, the outlook favors the Argentine. He leads the scoring table, keeps the current world champion alive and faces the quarterfinals as the main candidate to win the Golden Boot and challenge a mark that seemed unattainable.