World Cup 2026: How Lionel Messi Can Win the Golden Boot After Kylian Mbappe Brace
- Kylian Mbappe strengthened his grip on the World Cup Golden Boot race after scoring twice in France's third-place victory over England
- Lionel Messi heads into the World Cup final with a chance to claim both the trophy and his first-ever Golden Boot award
- FIFA's Golden Boot tiebreakers could prove decisive if Messi and Mbappe finish level after Argentina's final against Spain
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Lionel Messi will have more than just the FIFA World Cup trophy on his mind when Argentina face Spain in Sunday's final, with the legendary forward also chasing his first-ever Golden Boot.
The prestigious award is presented to the tournament's leading goalscorer, but despite his extraordinary World Cup career, Messi has never claimed the honour.
Source: Getty Images
His biggest rival is once again Kylian Mbappe, who strengthened his position after scoring twice in France's 6-4 victory over England in the third-place play-off.
The Real Madrid superstar ended the tournament with 10 goals, putting himself firmly in pole position to win the Golden Boot for a second consecutive World Cup.
Messi currently has eight goals and enters the final knowing he faces a huge challenge to catch the Frenchman.
What Messi needs to beat Mbappe for Golden Boot
To finish ahead of Mbappe, Messi must score three goals against Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19.
Another possible route would be scoring twice and registering an assist, provided he also overtakes Mbappe through FIFA's tiebreaking criteria.
Both players currently have four assists in the tournament, according to FIFA's official Golden Boot standings.
Source: Getty Images
If they remain level on goals and assists, the award is decided by minutes played, with the player who spent fewer minutes on the pitch finishing higher.
Mbappe completed his tournament having played 769 minutes, while Messi entered the final on 712 minutes.
However, because Argentina are expected to rely on their captain throughout Sunday's showdown unless injury forces him off, Messi will almost certainly finish with more minutes than Mbappe, making the tiebreak difficult to win.
How many World Cup goals does Mbappe have?
According to CBS Sports, Mbappe's brace also took his career World Cup tally to 22 goals, setting a new all-time record after just three tournaments.
Messi remains the closest active challenger with 21 World Cup goals across six editions.
Although lifting the World Cup trophy remains Argentina's biggest objective, Messi also has one final opportunity to produce a historic performance and deny Mbappe another Golden Boot.
Argentina handed disadvantage ahead of World Cup final
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Argentina has been dealt a significant setback ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain on July 19.
History is not on Lionel Messi's side, with the trend suggesting they face a 92.85% probability of defeat
Source: YEN.com.gh
