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2026 FIFA World Cup
22JUL

Messi leads Mbappe in Golden Boot race

1 min read
12:48UTC

Lionel Messi enters Sunday's final leading the Golden Boot on eight goals and four assists, one assist ahead of Kylian Mbappe, whose only remaining chance to respond is tonight's third-place game.

SportDeveloping
Key takeaway

Messi leads the Golden Boot by one assist and can seal it in Sunday's final.

Lionel Messi goes into Sunday's final as the Golden Boot leader on eight goals and four assists, one assist clear of Kylian Mbappe, who has eight goals and three assists 1. The Golden Boot goes to the tournament's leading scorer, with assists the first tiebreak when goals are level. Mbappe's France were knocked out at the semi-final, so his last chance to add to the tally is tonight's third-place game in Miami , while Messi still has the final to come.

Mbappe's France exited before the final, so his scoring window closes tonight while Messi's does not open until Sunday. Should the bronze match pass without a Mbappe goal, Messi would carry the award into the final needing only to hold his lead, and even one more Mbappe goal may not overturn the assist gap. Messi would then be chasing a second prize on the same weekend Argentina chase the trophy.

Deep Analysis

In plain English

The Golden Boot is the prize for the World Cup's top scorer. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are tied on eight goals each heading into the weekend, so FIFA's tiebreaker, first assists, then minutes played, decides who currently leads. Mbappe's team, France, is already out of the tournament, so his only remaining game is Saturday's third-place match. Messi's team, Argentina, is in Sunday's final, giving him one more chance than Mbappe to add to his goal tally too.

Deep Analysis
Root Causes

Both players are level on eight goals, which is why the award now turns on FIFA's assist tiebreak rather than the primary goal count; Messi's semi-final assist for Martinez's winner moved him ahead of Mbappe on that secondary measure for the first time in the tournament.

Mbappe's only remaining fixture is Saturday's third-place game, since France were eliminated, while Messi still has Sunday's final to add to either tally; that fixture gap, not the assist swing alone, is why Mbappe's chance to reclaim the lead is effectively down to one match.

First Reported In

Update #42 · England fight on two fronts before bronze

Multiple outlets· 18 Jul 2026
Read original
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