Lionel Messi leads the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot race after adding to his record-setting World Cup goalscoring tally. Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Mikel Oyarzabal are among the other forwards tracked by fans and bettors as odds tighten f
The Golden Boot race at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has begun to feel personal—because it’s not only about who scores most, it’s about who can keep scoring when the pressure turns up.
Lionel Messi has moved to the front after scoring vs Austria. becoming the men’s all-time FIFA World Cup goalscoring leader. In the same competition where the stakes are always high. that specific milestone has landed with extra weight: Messi is now the top scorer in FIFA men’s World Cup history. and it’s given the tournament’s most watched scoring storyline a new shape.
The race tracker has Messi out in front in betting markets. His Golden Boot odds are listed at +150 (bet $10 to win $25 total). Kylian Mbappé is next at +360 (bet $10 to win $46 total), followed by Harry Kane at +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total). The list then stretches wider—Mikel Oyarzabal is priced at +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total). while Erling Haaland is at +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total). Other names on the odds board include Deniz Undav at +2000. Lamine Yamal at +3000. Vinícius Júnior at +3000. Johan Manzambi at +3000. Jonathan David at +3500. Folarin Balogun at +3500 and Cody Gakpo at +3500. Kai Havertz is also listed at +3500, as is Matheus Cunha at +3500 and Ayase Ueda at +3500.
After the tournament’s early scoring begins stacking up. the current goal totals in the tracker show who has already made an impact. The list of players with 5 goals includes Deniz Undav (Germany) and Jonathan David (Canada). With 3 goals. the names are Maxi Araújo (Uruguay). Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain). Ayase Ueda (Japan). Daichi Kamada (Japan). Cody Gakpo (Netherlands). Brian Brobbey (Netherlands). Vinícius Júnior (Brazil). Matheus Cunha (Brazil). Ismael Saibari (Morocco). Johan Manzambi (Switzerland). Harry Kane (England). Erling Haaland (Norway). Kylian Mbappé (France). Elijah Just (New Zealand). Yasin Ayari (Sweden). Kai Havertz (Germany). Folarin Balogun (USA).
Players already on 2 goals include Trézéguet (Egypt). Mohamed Salah (Egypt). Mostafa Zico (Egypt). Finn Surman (New Zealand). Agustín Canobbio (Uruguay). Hélio Varela (Cape Verde). Kevin Pina (Cape Verde). Lamine Yamal (Spain). Junya Ito (Japan). Franck Kessie (Ivory Coast). Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands). Anthony Elanga (Sweden). Matías Galarza (Paraguay). Alex Freeman (USA). Luis Romo (Mexico). Granit Xhaka (Switzerland). Rubén Vargas (Switzerland). Ermin Mahmic (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Michal Sadilek (Czechia). Teboho Mokoena (South Africa). Jáminton Campaz (Colombia).
Luis Díaz (Colombia). Daniel Muñoz (Colombia). Abbosbek Fayzullaev (Uzbekistan). Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana). Jude Bellingham (England). Marcus Rashford (England). Martin Baturina (Croatia). Petar Musa (Croatia). Yoane Wissa (DR Congo). João Neves (Portugal). Marko Arnautović (Austria). Ali Olwan (Jordan). Romano Schmid (Austria). Leo Østigard (Norway). Ayman Hussein (Iraq). Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal). Bradley Barcola (France). Ramin Rezaeian (Iran). Mohammad Mohebbi (Iran). Abdulelah Al-Amri (Saudi Arabia). Emam Ashour (Egypt). Alexander Isak (Sweden). Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden). Mattias Svanberg (Sweden). Omar
Rekik (Tunisia). Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast). Keito Nakamura (Japan). Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands). Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands). Felix Nmecha (Germany). Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany). Jamal Musiala (Germany). Nathaniel Brown (Germany). Deniz Undav (Germany). Connor Metcalfe (Australia). Nestory Irankunda (Australia). John McGinn (Scotland). Breel Embolo (Switzerland). Gio Reyna (USA). Mauricio (Paraguay). Cyle Larin (Canada). Jovo Lukić (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Ladislav Krejcí (Czechia). Julián Quiñones (Mexico). Raúl Jimenez (Mexico). Hwang In-Beom (South Korea). Oh Hyeon-Gyu (South Korea).
The tracker also includes an “Own Goals” list, with Hassan Al-Tambakti (Saudi Arabia; 1), Cameron Burgess (Australia; 1), Yazan Al-Arab (Jordan; 1), Ayman Hussein (Iraq; 1), Mohamed Hany (Egypt; 1), Miro Muheim (Switzerland; 1), Damián Bobadilla (Paraguay; 1).
To understand why this race carries such attention, it helps to look at what’s come before. The most recent Golden Boot winners listed for the World Cup era are Kylian Mbappé (France) with 8 goals in 2022 (Qatar). Harry Kane (England) with 6 goals in 2018 (Russia). James Rodríguez (Colombia) with 6 goals in 2014 (Brazil). Thomas Müller (Germany) with 5 goals in 2010 (South Africa). and Miroslav Klose (Germany) with 5 goals in 2006 (Germany). Those numbers set a benchmark—and they’re now being watched again through the lens of Messi’s lead after Austria.
The early picture is clear: Messi has taken control of the storyline with a historic scoring milestone. and bettors have responded with odds that place him at the top. Behind him. the names are familiar from past moments of World Cup goal-scoring dominance—Mbappé. Kane. Haaland—alongside other runners listed in the race as the tournament’s scoring graph starts to climb.
2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot race tracker Lionel Messi Kylian Mbappé Harry Kane Erling Haaland Mikel Oyarzabal odds goals Austria