Messi's Golden Boot Hopes Hinge on Final Performance
Lionel Messi heads into the 2026 World Cup final with both the trophy and the Golden Boot still within reach. The Argentina captain will face Spain at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, needing a standout performance to overtake Kylian Mbappe in the race for the tournament's top scorer award.
Mbappe strengthened his position by scoring twice in France's third-place playoff against England, taking his tournament tally to 10 goals. According to the BBC, while Mbappe's goals were not enough to prevent a 6-4 defeat, they solidified his lead in the Golden Boot standings.
Mbappe's Brace Raises the Bar
Mbappe finished France's campaign with 10 goals, extending his lead at the top of the FIFA Golden Boot rankings. Messi, who has scored eight goals during Argentina's run to the final, now has only one opportunity to close the gap.
For Messi to win the Golden Boot outright, he must score three goals against Spain, reaching 11 goals. However, there is an alternative route: if Messi scores twice and provides at least one assist, he would finish level on 10 goals with Mbappe but edge ahead via FIFA's tiebreaking rules.
FIFA's Golden Boot Tiebreaking Rules
The Golden Boot is awarded to the player with the most goals in the tournament. According to The Mirror, if two players finish with the same number of goals, FIFA first considers the number of assists. Currently, both Messi and Mbappe have four assists each, meaning an additional assist from Messi could prove decisive if he scores twice.
If the players are still tied on assists, the next tiebreaker is the number of minutes played. Mbappe completed his World Cup campaign with 769 minutes across eight matches. Messi had accumulated 712 minutes before the final and is expected to play most of Sunday's match, meaning he would likely finish with more minutes. Therefore, Messi realistically needs either a hat-trick or two goals plus an assist to claim his first World Cup Golden Boot.
Mbappe Extends Historic World Cup Record
Beyond this year's tournament, Mbappe has enhanced his place in World Cup history. The French captain now boasts 22 career World Cup goals, the highest tally ever recorded, achieved across only three editions of the tournament. Messi remains the closest active challenger with 21 World Cup goals spread over six tournaments, highlighting another remarkable rivalry between two of football's greatest players.
Argentina Coach Sends Message to Messi Ahead of Final
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni praised Messi ahead of the World Cup final, describing the veteran captain as one of football's greatest-ever players. The coach said reaching another World Cup final at age 39 underscores Messi's extraordinary longevity and urged fans to appreciate the Argentine icon while he is still playing at the highest level.
