New Delhi: TheFIFA World Cup 2026 is set to kick off on June 11 in the 16 cities of the USA, Mexico and Canada. The tournament has been expanded to 48
teams, making it the biggest edition in history. A total of 104 matches will be played in the World Cup, including semifinals and the final.
Every player dreams of winning the World Cup for their country, and the most prolific stars will also be keeping their eyes on the prestigious Golden Boot award. The expanded tournament means more matches, which will give modern goal-scorers an opportunity to break records.
France skipper Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot award for scoring eight goals in the 2022 World Cup and will be aiming to defend his title, but the forward will face a tough challenge from the likes of Harry Kane, Erling Haaland andCristiano Ronaldo.
Top golden boot contenders at FIFA World Cup 2026
Harry Kane (England)
Harry Kane got the Golden Boot award after scoring six goals in the 2018 World Cup. He comes into the 48-team tournament after having a sensational season with Bayern Munich. The English striker scored 61 goals in 51 matches across all competitions.
Kane will look to carry the same momentum in the 2026 World Cup. The striker scored just 2 goals in the 2022 global tournament as England suffered a defeat to France in the quarterfinals. As the Three Lions are expected to go deep into the upcoming tournament, Kane will be focused on delivering match-winning performances for his country.
Kylian Mbappe (France)
Kylian Mbappe’s remarkable performance in the 2022 World Cup final wasn’t enough to secure a victory for France against Argentina. Mbappe scored a hat-trick at Lusail Stadium, taking his goal-scoring tally to eight in the tournament.
France are one of the main contenders to win the trophy, and a long run in the global event will help Mbappe to become the first player to win the Golden Boot more than once. If the forward manages to score five goals in this World Cup, then he will surpass Miroslav Klose to become the tournament’s all-time top scorer.
Erling Haaland (Norway)
Erling Haaland has topped the Premier League scoring tally for the third consecutive time this season, netting 27 goals in 35 appearances for Manchester City. The striker will be aiming to showcase his goal-scoring prowess on the biggest stage.
His chances of winning the Golden Boot will depend on how far Norway can go in the World Cup. They will take on some difficult teams in the group stage, including France, Senegal and Iraq.
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Messi has won several big trophies throughout his illustrious career. But the Argentine is yet to win the World Cup Golden Boot. He netted seven in the 2022 World Cup, but missed out on the award to Kylian Mbappe (8), who scored a hat-trick in the final between France and Argentina.
This is likely to be Messi’s final appearance at the World Cup, and he will be hoping to win the Golden Boot award. He netted eight goals in the World Cup qualifiers, including a hat-trick against Bolivia.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
At 41 years old, it would be a massive achievement if Ronaldo wins the Golden Boot in this World Cup. The striker is still scoring goals at the club level, netting 28 in 30 matches of the recently-concluded Saudi Pro League season.
He also scored five goals for Portugal during the World Cup 2026 qualifiers. Portugal are one of the strong contenders in North America, and Ronaldo is likely to get plenty of game time. He could once again play a crucial role for Portugal by finding the back of the net.
There are several other contenders for the Golden Boot, including Ousmane Dembele (France), Julian Alvarez (Argentina), and Vinicius Jr (Brazil).
