The 2026 Golden Boot Race: Messi Out in Front, and a Record Already Broken
Messi leads the World Cup scoring charts with five goals — and has already passed every man and woman in tournament history. Here's the full leaderboard as the group stage closes.
I have watched a lot of World Cup openings. I am not sure I have seen one quite like this. Through the first round of games, three different players had already scored four or more goals — something that has not happened in the first two matchdays of a World Cup since 1954. And out in front of all of them, of course, is the man who has been out in front for twenty years.
Here is where the Golden Boot race stands as the group stage closes (figures as of June 24).
The record that already fell
Messi's hat trick in Argentina's opener against Algeria did more than win a game. It pushed his career World Cup total to 18 goals — the most any player, man or woman, has ever scored across World Cup history. Then he added two more against Austria. At 38, in what is almost certainly his final World Cup, the defending champions' captain is not here to take part. He is here to keep scoring.
The chasing pack is stacked
What makes this race fun is the company right behind him. France's Kylian Mbappé, Norway's Erling Haaland — playing in his first World Cup — and Brazil's Vinícius Júnior are all on four. Any of them can erase a one-goal gap in a single half. And the group of players on three (Canada's Jonathan David, Germany's Deniz Undav, Brazil's Matheus Cunha, Morocco's Ismael Saibari, Switzerland's Johan Manzambi) tells you how spread out the goals have been across this 48-team field.
One number for the newcomers
If you are new to the World Cup and wondering why everyone keeps mentioning Messi and a number: the Golden Boot goes to the tournament's top scorer. Win it, and your name sits next to Ronaldo (the Brazilian one), Klose, and a young Pelé. Lead it at 38, in your last tournament, having just become the all-time leading scorer? That is the kind of story this sport saves for the very end.
The knockouts are where these totals usually swing. Eleven players are within three goals of the lead. We will update the board as the Round of 32 begins.
Scoring figures as of June 24, 2026, group stage. Sources: NBC Sports, Goal, ESPN.