What Messi must do to overtake Mbappe as Golden Boot race goes down to the wire
The extraordinary race for the adidas Golden Boot has taken one final dramatic twist before the FIFA World Cup 2026 reaches its climax.
France captain Kylian Mbappe climbed to the top of the scoring charts with 10 goals after scoring twice in France's thrilling 6-4 defeat to England in Sunday's (Bangladesh time) third-place playoff. Despite ending the tournament without a medal, the two goals left the French superstar in pole position to finish as the World Cup's top scorer.
But the race is far from over.
Lionel Messi, who has inspired Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final, heads into Monday's showdown with Spain on eight goals. As the only player among the leading scorers still to have a match left, the Argentine captain has one final opportunity to deny his longtime rival the Golden Boot.
What does Messi need in final?
The equation is straightforward:
If Messi scores three or more goals, he will finish on 11 goals and win the Golden Boot outright.
If Messi scores twice and also provides at least one assist, he will finish level with Mbappe on 10 goals but move ahead on assists, securing the Golden Boot.
If Messi scores twice but does not register an assist, he will draw level with Mbappe on 10 goals. The two superstars are currently tied on four assists. If they remain level on assists, the Golden Boot will be decided by minutes played. Mbappe has played 769 minutes, while Messi has played 712 before the final.
If Messi scores once or fails to score, Mbappe will claim the Golden Boot with his tally of 10 goals.
The duel has been one of the defining storylines of the tournament. After the semi-finals, Messi was on top of Kylian Mbappe marginally in the race for the Golden Boot as he managed four assists to the Frenchman’s three.
Norway's Erling Haaland and England's Jude Bellingham finished the tournament with seven goals each, while England captain Harry Kane and France winger Ousmane Dembele ended their campaigns on six.
The stakes could hardly be higher. Messi is chasing a second consecutive World Cup title with Argentina, while Mbappe has already etched his name into football history by becoming the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 22 career goals.
Now, only an extraordinary performance in the final can wrest the Golden Boot away from the Frenchman—and add yet another unforgettable chapter to one of football's greatest rivalries.
Can Messi pull it off and win the award for the first time, or will Mbappe become the first player ever to win the prestigious Golden Boot twice?