The Golden Boot goes to the tournament's top goalscorer, with assists serving as the tiebreaker when players finish level on goals. Stars have delivered early, and tracking the race is already underway with several former winners in the mix.
Argentina's Messi seized the lead with a head-turning hat trick against Algeria, his first in World Cup competition. The outing left Messi, who is soon to be 39, tied with Germany's Miroslav Klose for the most goals in World Cup history.
On Wednesday, England's Harry Kane scored a record-tying brace against Croatia in a rematch of the teams' 2018 World Cup semifinal. Kane converted a penalty kick and a set-piece header, tying Gary Lineker as the Three Lions' all-time leading goal scorer at the World Cup. Kane the Golden Boot with six goals at the 2018 tournament in Russia.
On Tuesday, the same day Messi delivered his hat trick, France's Kylian Mbappé scored a pair of goals in a win over Senegal. Mbappé opened the scoring in France's first match of this year's World Cup and is one of eight players with at least two goals so far. He claimed the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with eight goals while leading France to the doorstep of another title.
Norway's Erling Haaland also struck twice on Tuesday in his long-awaited World Cup debut, helping his country to a convincing victory against Iraq.
Last Friday, Folarin Balogun became a household name in the U.S., accounting for half of the Americans' scoring in a 4-1 statement-making win over Paraguay.
Players with at least two goals
As of Wednesday night, eight players sit on two goals or more in the early Golden Boot chase:
- Lionel Messi (Argentina), hat trick vs Algeria; tied Miroslav Klose for most World Cup goals all time
- Kylian Mbappé (France), two goals vs Senegal on Tuesday; opened scoring in France's opening match
- Harry Kane (England), brace vs Croatia on Wednesday; tied Gary Lineker as England's all-time World Cup leading scorer
- Erling Haaland (Norway), two goals in World Cup debut vs Iraq on Tuesday
- Folarin Balogun (United States), half of the U.S. goals in a 4-1 win over Paraguay last Friday
- Kai Havertz (Germany)
- Yasin Ayari (Sweden)
- Eli Just (New Zealand)
Messi, Kane, Mbappé, and Haaland combined for nine goals across those standout performances in the opening days of the tournament.
