World Cup 2026: The Golden Boot’s four-man market
If you’ve been watching the World Cup, you’ve seen it. Speed and power. Footwork in a phone booth. Guile in the box. Size and skill for days. For the better part of a month, the odds to win the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup have had the same names at the top, and a lot of jockeying behind them.
On the back of a hat-trick against Qatar, Jonathan David was once in the Top 10. A Cristiano Ronaldo brace versus Uzbekistan did the same for him. Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior was tied with Harry Kane at +1100 when the group stage ended. But one-by-one, they have fallen by the wayside. Others from Germany, The Netherlands, Mexico, the U.S. and elsewhere have as well.
The knockout rounds are a different animal; no quarter is given.
Just ask Colombia, who lost 4-3 on penalties Tuesday after hitting the woodwork twice. Or Egypt, who squandered a late lead. Lionel Messi’s goal and assist led Argentina back from the brink, turning a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 victory. For 78 minutes, it looked like Messi might exit the Golden Boot race, instead he now leads it.
Speaking of quarters, that’s exactly where we find ourselves now: the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Here’s where the Golden Boot competition stands with just eight countries remaining.
Top 10 FIFA World Cup 2026 goalscorers
| PLAYER | GOALS | ASSISTS | MINS. |
| L. Messi, ARG | 8 | 1 | 467 |
| K. Mbappé, FRA | 7 | 2 | 482 |
| E. Haaland, NOR | 7 | 0 | 416 |
| H. Kane, ENG | 6 | 1 | 489 |
| O. Dembélé, FRA | 4 | 2 | 391 |
| M. Oyarzabal, ESP | 4 | 1 | 435 |
| J. Bellingham, ENG | 4 | 1 | 447 |
| J. Manzambi, SUI | 3 | 2 | 220 |
| R. Lukaku, BEL | 3 | 1 | 242 |
| I. Saibari, MAR | 3 | 0 | 411 |
*The first tiebreaker is assists, followed by fewest minutes played
Kylian Mbappé can still play three matches, as can Messi (who continues to rewrite the record book, scoring in nine consecutive World Cup matches and padding his all-time lead to 21). One of Erling Haaland and Harry Kane will go home Saturday when Norway and England face each other.
They have turned the Golden Boot into a four-man market. It will take a miraculous match from one of the men sitting on four goals to bully his way into the running ahead of the semifinals.
Odds to win the Golden Boot
| PLAYER | ODDS |
| K. Mbappé, FRA | +137 |
| L. Messi, ARG | +115 |
| E. Haaland, NOR | +700 |
| H. Kane, ENG | +800 |
| M. Oyarzabal, ESP | +12500 |
| O. Dembélé, FRA | +15000 |
| J. Bellingham, ENG | +25000 |
*Odds subject to change
As for history, we already have three players with seven or more goals scored, a feat just 13 have ever achieved at a World Cup. No single tournament had seen three do it, until 2026. Kane can make it four this weekend. It’s fun stuff.
Players with 7 goals at a World Cup
| PLAYER | GOALS | YEAR(S) |
| J. Fontaine, FRA | 13 | 1958 |
| S. Kocsis, HUN | 11 | 1954 |
| G. Müller, WGER | 10 | 1970 |
| Ademir, BRA | 9 | 1950 |
| Eusébio, POR | 9 | 1966 |
| G. Stábile, ARG | 8 | 1930 |
| Ronaldo, BRA | 8 | 2002 |
| K. Mbappé, FRA | 8, 7 | 2022, 2026 |
| L. Messi, ARG | 8, 7 | 2026, 2022 |
| Leônidas, BRA | 7 | 1938 |
| Jairzinho, BRA | 7 | 1970 |
| G. Lato, POL | 7 | 1974 |
| E. Haaland, NOR | 7 | 2026 |
Is increased goal scoring a feature of modern football or a bug in a 48-team field? Considering that some of the sides deemed too poor to play by purists made it out of the group stage, I’ll say it’s fast becoming a feature.
That’s a good thing. Because while knowledgeable fans can appreciate a 1-0 match, who doesn’t like a 3-2 thriller? And if I never hear the phrase “soccer is boring” again, I’ll be one happy supporter of the sport.
Enjoy the quarterfinals.
How to bet on the World Cup
- Log in or register.
- Navigate to the sports betting page > World Cup hub.
- Bet on the Golden Boot winner or player props, build SGPs, or bet live.
How to bet on the Golden Boot winner
- Navigate to the sportsbook > World Cup hub > futures.
- Select the Golden Boot market and place your bet.
How to live bet the World Cup
- Navigate to the live sports page.
- Follow the match trackers, real-time odds and stats, and bet.
You’ve caught World Cup fever but aren’t sure how to bet? No problem.
This article walks you through the sportsbook, explaining odds, terms, bet types, tactics and more. Consider it your sports betting playbook.
| Feature image courtesy AP Photo/Derik Hamilton, left,Ashley Landis, and Pamela Smith via Canadian Press Images.Statistics via FIFA.com. |
| Feature image courtesy AP Photo via Canadian Press Images. Statistics via FIFA.com. |
World Cup Golden Boot FAQ
1 Who won the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup?
France’s Kylian Mbapee won the 2022 Golden Boot with eight goals.
2 How many players in the 2026 World Cup have won the Golden Boot?
Three. France’s Kylian Mbapee in 2022 (eight goals), England’s Harry Kane in 2018 (six goals) and Colombia’s James Rodriguez in 2014 (six goals).
3 Has anyone ever won the Golden Boot more than once?
No player has ever won the Golden Boot twice.
4 Which player has the most goals in a single World Cup?
France’s Just Fontaine scored 13 times at the 1958 World Cup.
5 Which country has the most Golden Boot winners?
Brazil and Germany have each won the Golden Boot outright three times.
Brazil: Leonidas (1938), Ademir (1950), Ronaldo (2002).
Germany: Gerd Muller (1970), Miroslav Klose (2006), Thomas Muller (2010).
However, in 1962, two Brazilians (Garrincha and Vava) were part of a six-way tie for the tournament lead in goals.
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