![\"FIFA](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-131924417,imgsize-188692,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/fifa-world-cup-2026-golden-boot-race.jpg\" "\\"Erling")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe race for the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot has exploded into life as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and Erling Haaland all delivered standout performances on a high-scoring day for the tournament\u2019s elite forwards.Between them, the trio have already set the competition alight, combining for 13 goals and firmly establishing themselves at the centre of the tournament\u2019s most watched individual battle.Messi and Mbapp\u00e9 struck twice each for Argentina and France respectively, while Haaland responded in style hours later with a brace of his own for Norway in a dramatic 3-2 win over Senegal on Monday night.Haaland\u2019s double came in a blistering 15-minute spell after halftime, as he made amends for earlier missed chances \u2014 including a shot off the post and a saved header just before the break.Messi, meanwhile, continued to rewrite history, becoming the FIFA World Cup<\/a>\u2019s all-time leading goalscorer with 18 goals after Argentina\u2019s win over Austria in Arlington, Texas. The Argentina captain now leads the Golden Boot standings with five goals in just two matches.Mbapp\u00e9 kept pace in the scoring charts after France\u2019s 3-0 win over Iraq in Philadelphia, taking his tally to 16 and remaining firmly in contention alongside the tournament\u2019s long-standing elite.<\/p>\n While Messi and Mbapp\u00e9 have years of World Cup experience behind them, Haaland is only just beginning his campaign on football\u2019s biggest stage, with Norway returning to the tournament for the first time since 1998.Despite that, the 25-year-old striker has already scored four goals and extended his remarkable scoring streak to 12 consecutive competitive matches for Norway, during which he has netted 24 times.Germany\u2019s Deniz Undav and Canada\u2019s Jonathan David, both on three goals, trail the leading trio in the scoring charts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nHaaland\u2019s rise adds new dimension to Golden Boot chase
<\/h2>\n<\/p>\nTop 10 Goal-scorers at FIFA World Cup 2026<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\n Rank<\/td>\n Players<\/td>\n Goals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 1<\/td>\n Lionel Messi (Argentina)<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 2<\/td>\n Kylian Mbappe (France)<\/td>\n 4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 3<\/td>\n Erling Haaland (Norway)<\/td>\n 4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 4<\/td>\n Deniz Undav (Germany)<\/td>\n 3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 5<\/td>\n Jonathan David (Canada)<\/td>\n 3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 6<\/td>\n Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands)<\/td>\n 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 7<\/td>\n Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain)<\/td>\n 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 8<\/td>\n Maxi Araujo (Uruguay)<\/td>\n 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 9<\/td>\n Ayase Ueda (Japan)<\/td>\n 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 10<\/td>\n Cody Gakpo (Netherlands)<\/td>\n 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n