Lionel Messi has won just about everything in the game, but the elusive World Cup Golden Boot remains in his sights on final day.
Heading into Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Argentina superstar finds himself chasing down a familiar foe. Thanks to a wild, 10-goal third-place play-off on Saturday, France’s Kylian Mbappé has thrown down the gauntlet by storming to the top of the goalscoring charts.
To snatch the trophy from Mbappé’s grasp, Messi- who sits two goals behind – must produce a vintage masterclass in the final. Because Messi has one more assist than the Frenchman, a spectacular hat-trick would win it outright, while a brace would pull him level on goals and potentially secure the award via that assist advantage.
Even if the 39-year-old icon falls short of the goalscoring crown, a record-extending third Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player seems well within reach. He is already the only player to win the award multiple times since its 1978 inception (in 2014 and 2022), and sparking Argentina’s run to a second straight final at his age gives him an undeniable case.
“He is the history. He is the legend,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.
The Golden Boot Race: How the Leaderboard Looks
Mbappé’s double in France’s chaotic 6-4 defeat to England made him the first player to hit double digits at a single World Cup since German legend Gerd Müller in 1970.
Here is how the top of the leaderboard shapes up ahead of Sunday’s final:
Kylian Mbappé (France) – 10 Goals (4 Assists)
- Status: Tournament complete. His brilliant double against England made him the first player to hit double digits at a single World Cup since 1970.
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 Goals (4 Assists)
- Status: Plays in Sunday’s final against Spain. The iconic playmaker needs a massive performance to close the two-goal gap on his French rival.
Jude Bellingham (England) – 7 Goals (1 Assist)
- Status: Tournament complete. Capped off a sensational tournament by netting deep into stoppage time during the third-place thriller.
Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 Goals (0 Assists)
- Status: Eliminated. Bowed out in the quarter-finals but maintained a spectacular goals-to-game ratio early on.
Ousmane Dembélé (France) – 6 Goals (2 Assists)
- Status: Tournament complete. Added another to his tally during France’s late second-half rally on Saturday.
Harry Kane (England) – 6 Goals (1 Assist)
- Status: Tournament complete. The 2018 Golden Boot winner enjoyed another highly productive tournament.
Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) – 5 Goals (1 Assist)
- Status: Plays in Sunday’s final. Spain’s leading marksman has the chance to climb even higher up the leaderboard against Argentina.
Should Messi score the necessary goals to overtake Mbappé and anchor an Argentina victory, he would become the first Golden Boot winner to play for the tournament champions since Brazil’s Ronaldo netted eight times in 2002.
A Clean Sweep of Silverware on the Line
The final will also decide the remaining individual accolades, voted on by the media and FIFA’s Technical Study Group. Spain is in a fantastic position to dominate the podium alongside their team ambitions.
La Roja’s goalkeeper Unai Simón is a heavy favourite for the Golden Glove after an incredible tournament which has included breaking the historic World Cup record for consecutive minutes without conceding. Meanwhile, Spain’s 19-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal has provided endless dazzle up front, making him the undisputed frontrunner for the Best Young Player Award.
