Despite France’s semifinal exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kylian Mbappé is still alive in the race for the Golden Boot. Lionel Messi’s match-winning performance in Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England moved the Argentine captain into a share of the tournament lead in goals, but the award has yet to be decided.
With both the third-place match and the World Cup final still to come, the Golden Boot race remains one of the biggest storylines heading into the tournament’s final weekend.
Is Mbappé Still in the Golden Boot Race?
Yes. Mbappé still has an opportunity to finish as the tournament’s top scorer.
France will face England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday, July 18, giving the Real Madrid forward one final chance to add to his goal tally.
Meanwhile, Messi and Argentina will take on Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final on Sunday, July 19, meaning both leading contenders have one match remaining.
2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Standings
Heading into the final weekend, the top scorers are:
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals, 4 assists
- Kylian Mbappé (France) – 8 goals, 3 assists
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 goals
- Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals
- Jude Bellingham (England) – 6 goals
Messi currently holds the advantage because FIFA uses assists as the first tiebreaker when players finish level on goals.
How Can Mbappé Win the Golden Boot?
Mbappé has several possible paths to winning the award:
- Score more goals than Messi over the final weekend to win the Golden Boot outright.
- Finish tied on goals and hope to match or surpass Messi in the official tiebreakers, including assists.
- If Messi fails to score in the final and Mbappé finds the net in the third-place match, the French superstar could overtake him.
With both players guaranteed one final appearance, the competition remains wide open.
Messi Has One More Opportunity
Messi strengthened his Golden Boot case by helping Argentina defeat England in the semifinals, moving level with Mbappé on eight goals while taking the lead on assists.
Argentina now faces Spain in the World Cup final, where Messi will have another opportunity to extend both his goal and assist totals.
Third-Place Match Could Be Crucial
Although the third-place playoff is often viewed as a consolation match, it could determine the Golden Boot winner.
Mbappé has consistently delivered on football’s biggest stage and will likely be France’s primary attacking threat against England. A multi-goal performance could dramatically change the race before Messi takes the field in the final.
Final Thoughts
Kylian Mbappé is not out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot race. While Lionel Messi currently holds the edge thanks to the tiebreaker, both stars still have one match remaining.
With France facing England in the third-place playoff and Argentina meeting Spain in the World Cup final, the tournament’s top individual scoring honor is still up for grabs. The final weekend could decide not only the world champion but also who finishes as the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s leading scorer.