Lionel Messi Extends Lead in 2026 World Cup Golden Boot Race with Late Goal

The 2026 World Cup has seen some remarkable performances, especially as group play wraps up. Lionel Messi has taken a strong lead for the Golden Boot, awarded to the tournament's top scorer. His latest goal came from a stunning free kick late in the group stage, pushing his total to six goals. Messi’s scoring spree includes a hat trick against Algeria and two goals versus Austria.

Top Scorers as Group Stage Ends

Messi’s lead faced a challenge recently when France’s Ousmane Dembélé scored a rapid hat trick, the second-fastest in World Cup history, hitting three goals within 32 minutes against Norway. That took his tally to four, matching teammate Kylian Mbappé, who assisted twice during that match. Mbappé won the Golden Boot in 2022 and remains a strong contender.

Brazil's Vinícius Júnior and Norway's Erling Haaland also trail Messi by one goal each. Vinícius scored twice against Scotland, while Haaland was rested during Norway’s last group game after they secured advancement.

Hat tricks have been notable in this tournament: Messi’s against Algeria, Dembélé’s quick-fire trio against Norway, and Canada’s Jonathan David netting three in their historic 6-0 win over Qatar.

We think the Golden Boot battle will stay intense as the knockout rounds progress. This page will keep tracking the top scorers, so check back for updates on who leads the pack.