Lionel Messi has taken sole control of the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot after another impressive performance saw Argentina reach their second consecutive World Cup final. The 39-year-old produced two assists during Argentina’s 2-1 win over England in the semi-finals, moving ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappé for the man of the match and putting himself in a good position to finish as the tournament’s top scorer.
Messi takes the lead after a great performance
Messi went into the semi-finals with Mbappé on eight goals after both leaders had managed to score goals throughout the competition.Although neither player added their goals in the last four, Messi’s influence was also important.With England leading 1-0 going into the final, the Argentina captain orchestrated a comeback by scoring both goals. He first found Enzo Fernández in the 85th minute to equalize before delivering another stoppage-time cross to Lautaro Martínez to head home the winner and send the winners into Sunday’s final against Spain.The two assists took Messi’s tally to four, putting him ahead of Mbappé in FIFA’s Golden Boot rankings.Recent standings read:
The opponents still have one last chance
With Messi leading the way at the moment, the Golden Boot race is not mathematically decided.France and England meet in the third round, meaning Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham all still have a final chance to add to their tally and challenge Messi’s lead.Mbappé is still his biggest rival, only trailing Messi’s eight goals in assists. Kane and Bellingham, meanwhile, will need to do their best in the playoffs to close the gap.Erling Haaland is the only player among the contenders not to be in contention, following Norway’s quarter-final exit.
Consistency has defined Messi’s competition
Messi’s lead in the Golden Boot race reflects the consistency he has shown throughout Argentina’s defense.The senior manager directly contributed to Argentina’s attack in every phase of the tournament, including eight goals and four assists as he continued to dominate the game.Messi’s two assists took his World Cup career to a record 12, the highest by any player since Opta’s record of the competition began in 1966. He also extended his incredible run or assist to 13 consecutive World Cup games, another record unmatched in the same period.
One last chance to complete another old campaign
Argentina will now face Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday at the New York Stadium in New Jersey with the trophy and every other honor on the line.Messi already leads the way for the Golden Boot, but another goal or assist against Spain will cement his position and add to the competition that has already seen him become the World Cup’s most effective leader and guide Argentina to the next final.With his closest players still a game away from qualifying for the third round, the competition was technically wide open, but Messi has a chance to reach the final.Apart from the major changes in stance, the Golden Boot remains firmly in hand.