Messi Leads Mbappe, Haaland in World Cup Golden Boot Race

Published

2 months ago

June 17, 2026

Messi leads World Cup Golden Boot race with three goals ahead of Mbappe and Haaland after early group stage matches

Argentina national team captain Lionel Messi has taken an early lead in the race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in Kansas City.

Also read: Messi Explains Emotional Tears After Argentina Win Over Algeria

The Inter Miami forward’s three goals placed him at the top of the tournament’s scoring chart as the competition’s group stage begins to take shape.

Messi’s performance also saw him draw level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose on the list of all-time World Cup scorers, further underlining his record-breaking tournament impact.

France captain Kylian Mbappe and Norway striker Erling Haaland are among the closest challengers, with both players scoring braces in their respective opening matches.

Mbappe netted twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal, while Haaland also scored two goals in Norway’s 4-1 victory against Iraq, keeping both stars firmly in contention.

Several other players are also on two goals, including Folarin Balogun of the United States, Yasin Ayari of Sweden, Kai Havertz of Germany, Elijah Just of New Zealand, and others.

The early standings highlight a competitive Golden Boot race as top forwards from multiple continents begin the tournament in strong form.

Also read: Messi Explains Emotional Tears After Argentina Win Over Algeria

Attention now turns to the next round of fixtures, where the leading scorers will aim to extend their advantage.

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Cubarsí Leads 2026 Golden Boy Race Ahead of Yamal

Published

31 minutes ago

August 18, 2026

Mariam Balogun

Pau Cubarsí tops the current Golden Boy Award 2026 standings ahead of teammate Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Yan Diomande

Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí is currently leading the 2026 Golden Boy Award race, according to the latest standings released by Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport, with teammate Lamine Yamal in second and Yan Diomande third.

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Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported on Tuesday that Cubarsí is currently ahead of the field as the voting process continues, with the final vote still expected later this year.

Yamal’s second-place position comes with an important caveat. The Barcelona forward cannot win the award again this year because he previously claimed the Golden Boy prize in 2024.

The 2026 race is still open, with Tuttosport continuing to update its rankings before the final voting stage.

The award is presented to the outstanding young player in European top-flight football and is decided by an international jury of sports journalists.

Cubarsí’s position reflects his growing reputation at Barcelona. The defender has become an increasingly important figure for the Spanish club and has already collected major honours during his young career.

Diomande’s presence in third also underlines the strength of this year’s field.

The Real Madrid youngster is among the 100 players initially shortlisted for the 2026 award, with the list due to be reduced to 20 finalists before the winner is selected.

The Golden Boy has a distinguished history, with previous winners including Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Yamal.

Also read: Okocha Picks Messi Over Ronaldo as Football’s Better Player

For Cubarsí, however, the immediate task is to maintain his advantage. With the decisive voting still to come, the Barcelona defender has emerged as the early favourite, but the final outcome remains open.