The race is over. Mbappé scored twice in the bronze final to finish on 10 goals, two ahead of Messi’s eight.
À retenir
- Golden Boot winner: Kylian Mbappé, 10 goals.
- Runner-up: Lionel Messi, eight goals.
- Mbappé scored twice in France’s 6-4 loss to England.
- Messi and Argentina finished as World Cup runners-up.
Golden Boot
Mbappé and Messi comparison
Mbappé goals
8
World Cup 2026 total in the supplied July 9 update
Messi goals
8
World Cup 2026 total in the supplied July 9 update
Mbappé career total
20
Career World Cup goals in the supplied research
Messi career total
21
Career World Cup goals in the supplied research
Mbappé and Messi comparison after the semifinals
| Player | World Cup 2026 goals | Career World Cup goals | Tournament status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kylian Mbappé | 8 | 20 | France in third-place match |
| Lionel Messi | 8 | 21 | Argentina in final |
Eight-goal tie
Golden Boot standings on July 9, 2026
Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi remain level on eight goals after the semifinals. Haaland is eliminated on seven, while Bellingham and Kane have six.
Messi can add to his total in the final against Spain. Mbappé has one remaining opportunity in the third-place match against England.
Tournament routes
France and Argentina’s remaining paths
Mbappé’s position after France–Spain
Mbappé entered the semifinal on eight tournament goals but did not score as France lost 2-0 to Spain.
He remains level with Messi and has one final opportunity against England in the third-place match.
Messi’s remaining route to the final
Argentina advanced through the knockout stage and then beat England 2-1 in the semifinal.
Messi did not score but helped create both late goals. His final opportunity comes against Spain on July 19.
Reporting context
Career totals and tie reporting
Until FIFA publishes or confirms the official ordering, the accurate wording is that Mbappé and Messi are level on eight goals. A graphic can compare goals, assists, minutes and penalties only when each figure comes from the same verified data source.
Statistics
Article data cards
Key facts
5
Facts already present in this article
Sections
5
Article blocks kept in order
Sources
10
External source links preserved
Internal links
6
Football pages connected to this article
Golden Boot standings on July 17, 2026
Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi remain level on eight goals after the semifinals. Haaland is eliminated on seven, while Bellingham and Kane have six.
Messi can add to his total in the final against Spain. Mbappé has one remaining opportunity in the third-place match against England.
Mbappé and Messi comparison after the semifinals
| Player | World Cup 2026 goals | Career World Cup goals | Tournament status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kylian Mbappé | 8 | 20 | France in third-place match |
| Lionel Messi | 8 | 21 | Argentina in final |
Mbappé’s position after France–Spain
Mbappé entered the semifinal on eight tournament goals but did not score as France lost 2-0 to Spain.
He remains level with Messi and has one final opportunity against England in the third-place match.
Messi’s remaining route to the final
Argentina advanced through the knockout stage and then beat England 2-1 in the semifinal.
Messi did not score but helped create both late goals. His final opportunity comes against Spain on July 19.
How a tie should be reported
Until FIFA publishes or confirms the official ordering, the accurate wording is that Mbappé and Messi are level on eight goals. A graphic can compare goals, assists, minutes and penalties only when each figure comes from the same verified data source.
Final Golden Boot standings
Kylian Mbappé finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with 10 goals in eight matches. His two goals against England in the bronze final moved him clear of Lionel Messi.
Messi ended the competition with eight goals. Argentina reached the final but lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time, so his tournament total did not change in the medal match.
Final 2026 World Cup scoring comparison
| Player | 2026 goals | Career World Cup goals | Team finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kylian Mbappé | 10 | 22 |  France, fourth place |
| Lionel Messi | 8 | 21 |  Argentina, runners-up |
FAQ
Who won the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot?
Kylian Mbappé won it with 10 goals in eight matches.
How many goals did Messi score at the 2026 World Cup?
Messi scored eight goals.
How many career World Cup goals does Mbappé have?
He finished the 2026 tournament with 22 career World Cup goals.
Did Messi score in the 2026 final?
No. Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time.
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Sources
Article info
- Category
- Golden Boot standings
- Updated
- 2026-07-23
- Reading time
- 7 min read