ISLAMABAD: For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, three different players have scored seven or more goals in a single edition of the tournament, as Erling Haaland joined Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe at the summit of the Golden Boot leaderboard.
The Norwegian striker’s sensational double in Norway’s round of 16 victory over Brazil on Sunday propelled him level with the two footballing superstars, creating a three-way tie that has never been seen before in the competition’s 96-year history.
golden boot race:
> Messi ~ 7 goals
> Mbappé ~ 7 goals
> Haaland ~ 7 goals
> Ronaldo ~ 3 goalswho finishes as the tournament’s top scorer?pic.twitter.com/6NZzmR6kAg
— Ajah (@ajah_elube) July 5, 2026
Historic three-way battle
For three days, French talisman Mbappe and Argentinian great Messi had rubbed shoulders as the joint leaders, with seven goals apiece, in the race to be the tournament’s top goal scorer. But Haaland’s clinical finishing against the five-time champions has rewritten the record books.
Messi became the first to reach seven goals when Argentina dispatched Cape Verde on Friday, with the 38-year-old continuing his remarkable international career. Mbappe matched him a day later as France cruised past Paraguay, setting the stage for what promised to be a two-horse race.
Three goalscoring machines. One Golden Boot. 👑⚽
Level on 7 goals, but will only one finish at the summit? The race is tighter than ever as the finals approach.
💬 Who’s your pick to walk away with the top honours: Messi, Haaland or Mbappé? pic.twitter.com/IBlrvcRpz5
— Betway ZA (@Betway_za) July 6, 2026
However, Haaland had other ideas. The Manchester City striker’s double in Norway’s stunning upset of Brazil has created a three-way deadlock that has captivated football fans worldwide.
UPDATE: Golden Boot standings
Lionel Messi – 7 goals
Kylian Mbappe – 7 goals
Erling Haaland – 7 goals
Harry Kane – 6Vinícius Junior who had 4 goals out of the race after Brazil elimination by Norway pic.twitter.com/J5C4KNVD09
— Ken Aseka (@KenAseka) July 6, 2026
Golden boot contenders
The race for the prestigious award remains fiercely competitive, with England captain Harry Kane lurking dangerously on six goals after scoring in England’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Mexico late on Sunday. Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal and France’s Ousmane Dembele are also in contention with four goals each.
Current top scorers:
- Kylian Mbappe (France) – 7 goals, 2 assists
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 7 goals, 0 assists
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 goals, 0 assists
- Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals, 1 assist
- Ousmane Dembele (France) – 4 goals, 2 assists
- Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) – 4 goals, 1 assist
Golden boot rules explained
FIFA’s Golden Boot is awarded to the player with the most goals at the end of the tournament. Current holder Mbappe, who scored eight goals in Qatar at the 2022 World Cup, is looking to become the first player ever to win the award more than once.
Should two players finish level on goals, the award goes to the player with the most assists. If that cannot separate them, the honour is handed to the player who achieved their goals and assists in the fewest minutes played.
The Triple 777! 🏆 For the first time in World Cup history, THREE players are tied with 7 goals each in the race for the Golden Boot: Haaland 🇳🇴, Mbappé 🇫🇷, and Messi 🇦🇷. Who will claim the ultimate prize? ⚽️🔥#WorldCup2026 #GoldenBoot #Haaland #Mbappe #Messi pic.twitter.com/lzQBODRohJ
— What’s Goin On Qatar (@wgoqatar) July 6, 2026
Record watch
The unprecedented three-way tie has added extra intrigue to the tournament’s latter stages, with all three players still involved and capable of adding to their tallies.
French forward Just Fontaine holds the all-time record for most goals in a single World Cup, having scored an incredible 13 goals at the 1958 tournament in Sweden. Sandor Kocsis (11 goals in 1954) and Gerd Muller (10 goals in 1970) complete the podium of single-tournament scoring feats.
In terms of all-time World Cup goals, Messi leads the way with 20, followed closely by Mbappe on 19, with Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16), Brazil’s Ronaldo (15), and Kane and Muller (both 14) completing the top five.
Also Read:Why ‘Golden Boot’ Race at FIFA World Cup 2026 Is the Most Fiercely Contested Ever?
Can Cristiano Ronaldo make a late charge?
Portuguese veteran Cristiano Ronaldo has slowly worked his way up the charts with three goals in four matches. However, to win the Golden Boot, he needs to start scoring more goals, and quickly.
If Portugal are to go deep in the tournament, they will look towards their captain to add more goals and potentially gate-crash the three-way party.
