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Lionel Messi failed to find the net against England, yet his two assists were enough to leapfrog Kylian Mbappé and seize the lead in the fiercely contested 2026 World Cup Golden Boot standings.
Argentina mounted a stunning comeback to edge England 2–1, securing its spot in a second straight World Cup final on the back of Messi's two crucial assists.
Messi and Mbappé are level at the top of the Golden Boot standings with eight goals apiece, but since ties are not permitted for the award, FIFA's first tiebreaker awards it to the player with the greater number of assists. Mbappé had held the edge thanks to two goal contributions against Norway and one against Morocco, but after going without an assist in France's semifinal loss to Spain, Messi seized his moment.
The Argentine had registered an assist against Egypt and another against Switzerland in the previous two knockout rounds, and after setting up both of Argentina's goals against England, his total climbed to four—one ahead of Mbappé—giving him the narrow advantage in the race.
At Qatar 2022, Messi netted twice in the World Cup final, only to be overshadowed by Mbappé's stunning hat-trick, which ultimately swung the Golden Boot in the Frenchman's favor. Messi and Argentina claimed the trophy, but Mbappé's iconic display earned him a coveted individual honor.
Mbappé had been on course to become the first player ever to win the World Cup Golden Boot on multiple occasions. Now, it is Messi who stands in prime position to claim the award for, remarkably, the very first time in his career.
World Cup Golden Boot Race Will Go Down To The Wire
Messi may have moved into the lead, but Mbappé remains very much in contention for the Golden Boot. Barring a full rotation from Didier Deschamps, France's skipper will have the opportunity to boost his tally when Les Bleus face England in the third-place playoff on Saturday.
It's a match no one wants to play, yet it offers players an additional chance to get on the scoresheet and potentially claim individual honors—just ask France's all-time top scorer at a single World Cup, Just Fontaine, who bagged four goals against West Germany in 1958.
Messi, naturally, will have his own opportunity to respond the next day when Argentina meets Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
But Messi and Mbappé are not the only contenders with a genuine chance of claiming the Golden Boot. While Erling Haaland is no longer in the picture, players like Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembélé, and even Mikel Oyarzabal could still snatch the award with one game left to play.
However it plays out, the fact that Messi leads the World Cup Golden Boot race at 39 years of age heading into the final round—ahead of some of the world's finest players in their prime—speaks volumes about his lasting brilliance.
2026 World Cup Golden Boot Race
Rank | Player | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
1. | Lionel Messi | 8 | 4 |
2. | Kylian Mbappé | 8 | 3 |
3. | Ousmane Dembélé | 6 | 2 |
4. | Jude Bellingham | 6 | 1 |
5. | Harry Kane | 6 | 1 |
6. | Mikel Oyarzabal | 5 | 1 |
Lionel Messi Shares Thoughts on World Cup Final vs. Spain
The script writes itself. pic.twitter.com/yoWWvlXUTd
Beyond personal accolades, Messi is just 90 minutes away from becoming a two-time World Cup champion, and will bow out of a tournament he has dominated with a record-equalling third World Cup final appearance.
As if that storyline weren't compelling enough, the opponent standing in his way is Spain—the country that shaped Messi during his formative years, even making an unsuccessful attempt to convince him to represent La Roja—where he spent more than two decades playing club football at Barcelona, and where he is adored more than anywhere outside of Argentina.
"It's an extraordinary national team," Messi said of Spain after the victory over England. "They have outstanding players and a clear style of play. It's a team I know very well, with a footballing philosophy they've maintained for many years.
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"I know the players too—I've faced them, I follow them, and many of them are at Barça, a club I love and keep a close eye on. It's going to be a special match, a World Cup final, and I expect it to be very closely contested."
Lionel Messi will take his final bow at the World Cup in Argentina's colors, facing a Spain side featuring eight Barcelona players—many of whom have expressed their eagerness to go up against Messi and Argentina. It is nothing short of a storybook conclusion to Messi's extraordinary World Cup legacy.