The Race for the Golden Boot: Messi, Mbappé, and Haaland Take the Lead
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
The race for the World Cup trophy is underway, but it’s not the only prize at stake. The Golden Boot will be awarded to the player with the most goals in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Although the tournament is less than a week old, a fierce competition featuring star players has already emerged for the award. Here’s a look at the Golden Boot race as of June 16. 1. Lionel Messi, Argentina: 3 goals Lionel Messi kicked off his participation and Argentina's title defense in spectacular fashion, scoring a hat-trick in the opening group stage match against Algeria on Tuesday. He also tied the all-time World Cup goals record with 16 goals, equaling Germany’s Miroslav Klose. Messi will have the chance to surpass Klose when Argentina faces Austria at the Dallas Stadium on Monday. T-2. Kylian Mbappé, France: 2 goals The reigning Golden Boot winner picked up where he left off in France's first match against Senegal, scoring two goals in a 3-1 victory. At just 27 years old, Mbappé has already climbed to tie for fourth place on the all-time World Cup scoring list with 14 goals. T-2. Erling Haaland, Norway: 2 goals Erling Haaland scored twice in his World Cup debut with Norway on Tuesday, leading his country to a 4-1 victory over Iraq. The Manchester City star already holds the record for most goals in a Premier League season and maintained his scoring prowess on the biggest stage in football. T-2. Folarin Balogun, USA: 2 goals Folarin Balogun scored twice in the U.S. men's national team's commanding win over Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday. The AS Monaco standout netted two goals in the first half, paving the way for the host nation's 4-1 triumph. T-2. Kai Havertz, Germany: 2 goals Kai Havertz scored two goals in Germany's 7-1 rout of Curacao, converting a penalty in first-half stoppage time and adding a second goal late in the second half. This story was translated from English with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool. An editor from Telemundo Digital reviewed the translation.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
