World Cup 2026 Golden Boot update - the latest standings: Mbappé, Messi, Bellingham...
With the 2026 World Cup semifinals now set, find out which players are leading the race for this summer’s Golden Boot.
As the 2026 World Cup gears up for the semifinals, the race for the Golden Boot continues to hot up. Two of the game’s biggest stars lead the way, while Jude Bellingham surged up the rankings in England’s last-eight victory over Norway.
Who’ll be the goal king at World Cup 2026?
As well as winning the ultimate prize in sport, there are a number of individual awards that are given out at the conclusion of the World Cup. These include best player, best young player, and of course, most goals scored.
Since the tournament’s inception in 1930, nobody has won the Golden Boot twice, yet that could soon change as Kylian Mbappé already has one on his shelf at home and has been in fine scoring form in North America.
Indeed, the Real Madrid striker returned to the top of the 2026 standings on Thursday, overtaking Lionel Messi at the summit after scoring his eighth goal of the tournament in France’s quarterfinal win over Morocco.
Together with Messi, who sits second only because he has fewer assists, Mbappé’s closest challengers now include two Englishmen. Bellingham and Harry Kane have both hit six goals this summer, after the former’s match-winning brace against the Norwegians saw him draw level with Kane’s tally on Saturday.
World Cup 2026 Golden Boot - the latest top 20:
| Rank | Player | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kylian Mbappé | 8 | 3 |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | 8 | 2 |
| 3 | Erling Haaland | 7 | 0 |
| 4 | Jude Bellingham | 6 | 1 |
| 5 | Harry Kane | 6 | 1 |
| 6 | Ousmane Dembélé | 5 | 2 |
| 7 | Ismaila Sarr | 4 | 1 |
| 8 | Julián Quiñones | 4 | 1 |
| 9 | Vinícius Júnior | 4 | 1 |
| 10 | Mikel Oyarzabal | 4 | 1 |
| 11 | Deniz Undav | 3 | 2 |
| 12 | Johan Manzambi | 3 | 2 |
| 13 | Romelu Lukaku | 3 | 1 |
| 14 | Charles de Ketelaere | 3 | 1 |
| 15 | Cody Gakpo | 3 | 1 |
| 16 | Brian Brobbey | 3 | 0 |
| 17 | Elijah Just | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | Matheus Cunha | 3 | 0 |
| 19 | Folarin Balogun | 3 | 0 |
| 20 | Raúl Jiménez | 3 | 0 |
FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: full list
Related stories
"Football wasn't the winner today"
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.
- Mundial 2026
- Mundial fútbol
- FIFA
- Fútbol
- Vinícius Júnior
- Lionel Messi
- Haaland
- Kylian Mbappé
- Deniz Undav
- Goles
- Deportes
- Selección brasileña fútbol
- Selección Fútbol Alemania
- Selección francesa fútbol
- Selección argentina fútbol
- Selección noruega fútbol
- Estados Unidos
- Canadá
- México
- Ousmane Dembélé
- Harry Kane
- Selección Fútbol Inglaterra
- Jude Bellingham