Lionel Messi is 39 years old, surviving 120-minute knockout fights, and still scoring with the cold timing of a forward built for this stage. Argentina needed him again in a tense 3-2 win over Cape Verde, where his 29th-minute goal pushed him to seven at this World Cup and 20 across his World Cup career. That total has taken him beyond Miroslav Klose’s old benchmark of 16 and deeper into tournament history. Kylian Mbappé is still breathing down his neck with six goals. Harry Kane and Erling Haaland sit on five each, close enough to turn one big night into a serious swing. This is no longer just a scoring chart. Winning the Boot now means surviving the knockout rounds, staying ruthless in front of goal, and carrying a team when the tournament starts to squeeze.
Messi Leads but Argentina Still Look Fragile
Messi might be chasing personal history, but Argentina are fighting for collective survival. Cape Verde made that clear. The defending champions were expected to control the tie, yet they were dragged into extra time before finally escaping.
That tension matters in the Golden Boot race. Messi has the lead, but Argentina are not cruising through games. They are being forced to work, defend, recover and rely on their captain in heavy moments. Against Cape Verde, he scored early and later delivered the corner that helped create the decisive own goal. It was another reminder that his value is not limited to finishing. He still pulls defenders out of shape, slows frantic passages, finds the right pass, and makes dead-ball situations feel dangerous.
Lionel Scaloni said, “I hope you now realize, there is no easy opponent.”
That warning gives the race its proper shape. Messi leads because Argentina are still alive, but every difficult round increases the pressure on the player carrying them through tight margins. France face the same knockout reality, yet Mbappé enters it from a different angle: not as the hunted man, but as the most dangerous chaser in the field.
Mbappé Is the Immediate Threat
Mbappé is well within striking distance. The French forward sits one goal behind Messi, and his route to the top is clear. France’s counter-attack creates the exact transition games where his pace guarantees repeated looks at goal.
His case is also built on recent proof. Mbappé won the 2022 Golden Boot with eight goals and has now passed Klose’s old career World Cup mark as well. At 27, he is no longer only chasing Messi in this tournament. He is also building a historic World Cup scoring résumé of his own.
France have enough creators to keep him supplied. They also have the game state that suits him. When opponents push forward, Mbappé becomes more dangerous. When matches open late, he becomes harder to contain. That is why Messi’s one-goal lead feels strong, but not safe.
Kane And Haaland Are Still Dangerous
Do not count out Harry Kane or Erling Haaland. Both have five goals, and both carry different kinds of threat.
Kane gives England control in the box. He drops to link play, arrives late, takes penalties, attacks crosses and punishes loose marking. England provide him with elite service from Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden, plus set-piece pressure that keeps him involved even when open play gets tight.
Haaland is more direct. Norway do not need long spells of possession to make him matter. They need one clean cross, one loose touch from a defender, or one moment where he can separate inside the area. His rise has already changed Norway’s World Cup record book. He became the country’s leading World Cup scorer after passing Kjetil Rekdal, who had two goals.
Kane has gone past Gary Lineker as England’s top World Cup scorer, while Haaland has delivered Norway’s first knockout win at the tournament. Neither is just hanging around the race. Both are close enough to punish any slip from Messi or Mbappé.
The Expanded Format Has Supercharged the Chase
The 48-team World Cup has given elite forwards more games, more opponents and more chances to build huge totals. That has pushed the Golden Boot race into rare territory. Just Fontaine’s 13-goal record from 1958 still stands as the single-tournament target, and only a small group of players in World Cup history have ever reached double figures in one edition.
Still, the modern race is not just about volume. Assists and minutes played can decide the award if players finish level on goals, so every touch in the final third matters. A striker who creates for a teammate may be protecting his own Golden Boot bid. A substitute goal can also carry extra weight if the tie-breakers tighten.
Messi owns the lead. Mbappé owns the closest chase. Kane and Haaland own enough scoring power to keep the race unstable. With every contender still alive, the Golden Boot is becoming one of the defining battles of this World Cup.
READ MORE: Messi And Argentina Survive Cape Verde Chaos as World Cup Chase Tightens
FAQs
Q1. Who leads the World Cup Golden Boot Race?
Lionel Messi leads with seven goals. Kylian Mbappé follows closely with six.
Q2. Can Mbappé still catch Messi in the Golden Boot Race?
Yes. Mbappé is only one goal behind Messi, and France’s attack gives him regular chances.
Q3. How many goals do Kane and Haaland have?
Harry Kane and Erling Haaland both have five goals. They remain close enough to change the race quickly.
Q4. What is the single tournament World Cup goals record?
Just Fontaine holds the record with 13 goals in 1958. The article frames that as the historic target.
Q5. How are Golden Boot ties decided?
Goals come first. If players finish level, assists and minutes played can decide the winner.
