World Cup 2026 golden boot standings: Lionel Messi, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe early front-runners

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria to equal Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup goalscoring record, while Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland both netted braces in their opening matches. England captain Harry Kane also scored a first-half brace against Croatia in Texas as the Three Lions began their campaign. The golden boot race features Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, and Kane as the early front-runners at the first-ever 48-team World Cup.