TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is beginning to take shape, with Argentina captain Lionel Messi leading the scoring charts after the second round of group-stage matches.
Messi has scored five goals so far, putting him ahead of several of football's biggest stars as teams battle for places in the knockout rounds.
The Argentine forward sits at the top of FIFA's scoring standings, followed by France's Kylian Mbappe and Norway's Erling Haaland, who have each scored four goals.
With the tournament entering its decisive phase, the competition for the World Cup's top scorer award remains wide open, as several players continue to add to their tallies.
Messi Leads the Golden Boot Race
Messi's five goals have helped Argentina make a strong start to its World Cup campaign while reinforcing his status as one of the tournament's standout performers.
The 39-year-old captain has once again emerged as a key figure for Argentina, combining goals and leadership as the defending champions pursue another deep run in the competition.
Mbappe, Haaland Close Behind
France star Kylian Mbappe and Norway striker Erling Haaland remain within striking distance of Messi, each with four goals.
Mbappe continues to be France's primary attacking threat, while Haaland has carried his prolific club form onto the international stage.
Germany's Deniz Undav occupies fourth place with three goals and two assists, giving him an edge over Canada's Jonathan David, who has also scored three times.
Ronaldo Joins the Scoring Race
Cristiano Ronaldo entered the top scorers list after netting twice in Portugal's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan.
The two goals moved the 41-year-old Portugal captain onto two goals for the tournament, placing him among a large group of players chasing the leading scorers.
Ronaldo's performance also saw him break multiple World Cup records, including becoming the first player to score in six different editions of the tournament.
Several Stars Remain in Contention
A number of high-profile players have also scored twice, including Brazil's Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha, England captain Harry Kane, and Germany's Kai Havertz.
Meanwhile, several prominent names remain in the race despite scoring only once so far. Among them are Egypt's Mohamed Salah, France's Ousmane Dembele, Portugal's Rafael Leao, England's Marcus Rashford, and Sweden's Alexander Isak.
Isak has also emerged as one of the tournament's leading creators, recording three assists in addition to his goal.
Top 25 Scorers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup (as of June 24)
Lionel Messi (Argentina) — 5 goals
Kylian Mbappe (France) — 4 goals
Erling Haaland (Norway) — 4 goals
Deniz Undav (Germany) — 3 goals, 2 assists
Jonathan David (Canada) — 3 goals
Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands) — 2 goals, 1 assist
Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) — 2 goals, 1 assist
Maxi Araujo (Uruguay) — 2 goals, 1 assist
Ayase Ueda (Japan) — 2 goals, 1 assist
Cody Gakpo (Netherlands) — 2 goals, 1 assist
Vinicius Junior (Brazil) — 2 goals, 1 assist
Johan Manzambi (Switzerland) — 2 goals
Brian Brobbey (Netherlands) — 2 goals
Matheus Cunha (Brazil) — 2 goals
Cyle Larin (Canada) — 2 goals
Daichi Kamada (Japan) — 2 goals
Folarin Balogun (United States) — 2 goals
Ismael Saibari (Morocco) — 2 goals
Yasin Ayari (Sweden) — 2 goals
Ismaila Sarr (Senegal) — 2 goals
Elijah Just (New Zealand) — 2 goals
Kai Havertz (Germany) — 2 goals
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) — 2 goals
Harry Kane (England) — 2 goals
Daniel Munoz (Colombia) — 2 goals
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