France captain Kylian Mbappe has moved ahead of Argentina skipper Lionel Messi in the race for the adidas Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite both players being level on eight goals after the quarter-finals.
Mbappe reclaimed top spot after scoring his eighth goal of the tournament in France’s quarter-final victory over Morocco.
In addition to his eight goals, the French forward has provided three assists, giving him the advantage over Messi, who also has eight goals but has registered two assists.
According to FIFA, assists serve as the first tie-breaker when players finish level on goals.
Norway striker Erling Haaland sits third in the standings with seven goals after scoring twice in his side’s quarter-final win over Brazil.
England duo Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are tied for fourth place, each with six goals and one assist.
France winger Ousmane Dembele occupies sixth position with five goals and two assists, while Ismaila Sarr of Senegal, Julian Quinones of Mexico, Brazil’s Vinicius Junior, and Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal have all scored four goals with one assist each.
FIFA explains Golden Boot tie-breakers
In a statement published on its website on Sunday, FIFA outlined the criteria for determining the tournament’s top scorer.
“The adidas Golden Boot will be awarded to the player who scores the most goals during the FIFA World Cup.”
“If two or more players score the same number of goals, the number of assists (as determined by the members of the FIFA Technical Study Group) shall be decisive.”
“If two or more players are still equal after taking into account the number of assists, the total minutes played in the tournament will be taken into account, with the player playing fewer minutes ranked first,” the world football governing body stated.
As it stands, Mbappe has also played fewer minutes than Messi, giving him a further advantage should both players remain tied on goals and assists.
Top 10 adidas Golden Boot standings after the quarter-finals
Kylian Mbappe (France) – 8 goals, 3 assists
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals, 2 assists
Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 goals
Jude Bellingham (England) – 6 goals, 1 assist
Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals, 1 assist
Ousmane Dembele (France) – 5 goals, 2 assists
Ismaila Sarr (Senegal) – 4 goals, 1 assist
Julian Quinones (Mexico) – 4 goals, 1 assist
Vinicius Junior (Brazil) – 4 goals, 1 assist
Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) – 4 goals, 1 assist
(The Whistler)