Argentina’s forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates his teams third goal scored by Argentina’s midfielder #24 Enzo Fernandez during the 2026 World Cup round of 16 football match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 7, 2026. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP)
The race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has taken another twist after the completion of the Round of 16, with Lionel Messi moving back to the top of the scoring charts following Argentina’s dramatic comeback victory over Egypt.
The Argentina captain delivered when his team needed him most, scoring the equaliser and providing an assist as the reigning world champions recovered from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 and book a place in the quarter-finals.
Messi’s latest strike took his tally to eight goals, putting him ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland, who are both on seven goals. England captain Harry Kane remains within touching distance after taking his tally to six goals during England’s thrilling victory over Mexico.
With the tournament entering the quarter-final stage, all four leading scorers are still in contention, setting up an intriguing battle for the Golden Boot in the final rounds of the competition.
Top scorers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the Round of 16
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals (1 assist)
- Kylian Mbappe (France) – 7 goals (2 assists)
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 goals
- Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals (1 assist)
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