Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have stored up the tempo in what’s shaping as much as be probably the most hotly-contested World Cup Golden Boot battles in reminiscence.
The superstars are delivering on the most important stage of all of them and are setting a blistering tempo within the race to be the 2026 match’s high goalscorer.
Messi heads the sector with 5 targets from two video games after his double in opposition to Austria secured Argentina a 2-0 victory.
Mbappe and Haaland are simply behind Messi with 4 targets after doubles of their very own in respective wins for France and Norway.
It’s the first World Cup since since 1954 – and solely the second match in historical past – the place three gamers have scored 4 or extra instances after two matches, and Harry Kane may be part of them with two targets for England in opposition to Ghana on Tuesday night.
How the race for the Golden Boot stands…
Might extra information tumble?
Miroslav Klose began the match out in entrance on the all-time World Cup goalscoring chart with 16 targets.
Two video games in and Messi is now two forward with 18, whereas Mbappe has pulled stage with the Germany striker, whose worldwide profession spanned the World Cups from 2002 to 2014.
Haaland is now Norway’s main goalscorer at World Cups after simply two video games, whereas another Kane purpose would see him go previous Gary Lineker as England’s high World Cup scorer.
All 4 gamers can be concentrating on Simply Fontaine’s 1958 document of 13 targets in a single match.
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The massive hitters have arrived, how Messi reacted to scoring a hat-trick for Argentina, with Mbappe and Haaland every scoring a double for France and Norway respectively
Solely three gamers in World Cup historical past – Fontaine, Germany’s Gerd Muller in 1970 and Hungary’s Sandor Kocsis in 1954 – have ever hit double figures at a single match.
On the present price of scoring at this match, three or extra gamers may do it this summer season!
Will anybody else be part of the celebration?
England’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring in opposition to Croatia
The massive query is: will anybody else gatecrash the Golden Boot celebration?
After the exploits of Messi, Mbappe and Haaland, Kane (two targets) has his probability to get within the combine in opposition to Ghana.
Like Mbappe, the England captain, whose total World Cup purpose tally stands at 10, has the prospect to change into the primary striker to win a number of Golden Boots.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal (one purpose) bought his match up and working with a purpose in opposition to Saudi Arabia, whereas Cristiano Ronaldo is but to hassle the scorers for Portugal – however there are nonetheless loads of video games left for them to mount a problem.
In the meantime, Deniz Undav has three targets from Germany’s opening two video games and a deep run within the match may see him get into rivalry, whereas Netherland’s Cody Gakpo (two) has scoring document at main tournaments.
Brazil’s Matheus Cunha celebrates with Vinicius Junior and Lucas Paqueta
Brazil duo Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha (each two) will even be concentrating on a number of extra targets and there may be the problem from the host nations’ forwards. Might Canada’s Jonathan David (three) and USA’s Folarin Balogun (two) get sufficient video games to fireplace themselves into rivalry?
The issue for the remainder is Messi, Mbappe and Haaland, and doubtlessly Kane, present no indicators of slowing down any time quickly.
