Four of world football's most feared strikers — Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane — have begun the 2026 World Cup in devastating form, each scoring multiple goals in their opening matches. Their performances have reignited a classic question: how do you stop them? And it has also sharpened focus on the Golden Boot, the prize awarded to the tournament's top goalscorer.
The Golden Boot is given to the player who scores the most goals in a World Cup. If two or more players finish level, assists are used as a tie-breaker. The award has been won by some of the game's greats: England's Harry Kane took it in 2018 with six goals, Colombia's James Rodríguez claimed it in 2014 with six, and France's Kylian Mbappé won it in 2022 with eight. All three are playing in the 2026 tournament, making this the first World Cup to feature three former Golden Boot winners. They are joined by Norway's Erling Haaland, making his World Cup debut, and Argentina's Lionel Messi, who at 39 is still setting records.
“Explains the World Cup Golden Boot, its history, and the top contenders including Messi, Mbappé, Haaland, and Kane.”
Messi's hat-trick against Algeria took him level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the all-time World Cup top scorer on 16 goals. Mbappé is just two behind on 14. But stopping players of this calibre is a formidable task. Former Everton and Wales defender Ashley Williams told BBC Sport that defending against Messi requires "a team effort". "You've got to cover all your bases," he said, "which might be getting tight as a defender, or dropping off and letting your midfield get tight." He added that even forcing Messi onto his weaker foot is rarely effective: "He seems to take control in possession, no matter where you try to push him out to." Williams, who faced Mbappé as an 18-year-old in 2017, knows first-hand the difficulty of containing such talent.
For UK readers, the Golden Boot battle carries extra interest because of Harry Kane. The Bayern Munich striker is England's captain and the nation's all-time leading scorer. He netted twice in England's 4-2 win over Croatia in their World Cup opener, showing he remains a contender for the award. Scotland also have a chance to follow their team's progress, with the Scots aiming to reach the knockout phase for the first time. The presence of big names like Mbappé and Haaland means UK fans have plenty to watch.
Q: What is the Golden Boot in the World Cup? The Golden Boot is the award given to the tournament's top goalscorer. If two or more players finish with the same number of goals, assists are used as a tie-breaker. It is one of the most prestigious individual prizes in football.
Q: Who are the favourites to win the Golden Boot in 2026? Pre-tournament favourites include Kylian Mbappé (France, won in 2022), Harry Kane (England, won in 2018), Erling Haaland (Norway, making his World Cup debut) and Lionel Messi (Argentina, now level with Klose on 16 all-time World Cup goals).
Q: How do defenders try to stop elite strikers like Messi and Mbappé? Defenders use a mix of tactics: getting tight to deny space, dropping off to let midfielders apply pressure, and trying to force the attacker onto their weaker foot. But, as former defender Ashley Williams noted, players like Messi have such control and balance that it is often a case of "picking your poison" — hoping a different player takes the shot.
The knockout rounds will determine who finishes top scorer. With three former Golden Boot winners in the draw, the race is wide open. England's next match is against Ghana, while Norway face Senegal. Each game could shift the leaderboard. One thing is certain: the world's best strikers are delivering a tournament to remember.