When football fans come to look back on World Cup 2026, the tournament's entertainment value will be evaluated in large part on the number of goals scored in its 104 matches.
World Cup 2026 will naturally have the highest total. With 48 teams involved, it's the biggest World Cup ever by far, but the wealth of attacking talent on show also promises a goals-per-game average high enough to keep the world on the edge of its seat this summer.
But which of those scorers will sit on top of the list come July 19 to succeed France forward Kylian Mbappe as the World Cup Golden Boot winner?
World Cup 2026 Golden Boot power rankings
Lots of very capable goal-getters won't be involved in World Cup 2026 thanks to the failure of their teams to qualify, but most of the world's big hitters are gearing up for bumper hauls.
FourFourTwo ranks the contenders for the Golden Boot.
10. Lautaro Martinez (Argentina)
Argentina forward Lautaro Martinez made a goalscoring return as Inter Milan captain, netting twice in the Nerazzurri's Serie A win over Roma after more than a month out with an injury.
Martinez has scored 36 goals in 75 senior international matches and looks set to lead Inter to the third Scudetto of his career in Italy. At 28, he's got another World Cup in him anyway, but 2026 could represent a passing of the torch.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo shouldn't be written off too easily. The Portugal captain has 143 senior international goals to his name and eight of them have been scored in World Cup matches.
Portugal face DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K – they're three of the handful of nations against whom the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has never scored a goal.
8. Vinicius Jr (Brazil)
Vinicius Jr of Brazil has scored 16 goals in La Liga and the Champions League for Real Madrid this season, a slight improvement on average against 2024-25, and will be eyeing a breakout major tournament when World Cup 2026 rolls around.
The 25-year-old scored his maiden World Cup goal in Qatar and it would take a significant jump in international goal threat to trouble the top of the charts in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but this is the stage on which players come of age.
7. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain)
Mikel Oyarzabal has already scored the goal that won a major tournament for Spain but is set to play at his first World Cup in North America this summer.
He arrives with a prolific record at international level. The Real Sociedad forward has scored 24 goals in just 52 appearances for Spain, so Group H rivals Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay will be very aware of the threat he poses.
6. Joao Pedro (Brazil)
Chelsea striker Joao Pedro has been a rare reliable contributor to the Blues in a chaotic Premier League season and could be a good outside bet for the gong at international level in the summer.
If he did go on to win the Golden Boot, the tally would begin with his very first Brazil goal. The 24-year-old has played just eight times for his country but has a World Cup group in his sights that features Morocco, Scotland and Haiti.
5. Lamine Yamal (Spain)
Regarded as one of the world's most exciting young footballers, Lamine Yamal has major tournament experience with Spain as well as big-game know-how in the famous Blaugrana of Barcelona.
The 18-year-old was a major influence in his nation's European Championship success two years ago but this will be his first World Cup. With six goals in his 25 senior international appearances to date, the Golden Boot might seem unlikely on paper. Yamal has surprised us all before.
4. Erling Haaland (Norway)
With an astounding 16 goals scored in qualifying for World Cup 2026, Erling Haaland is surely a contender to be among the top scorers again in the tournament proper.
That Norway won't be among the favourites might be the biggest factor that counts against the Manchester City hitman, but the emphatic nature of their qualification might give lie to that in any case. France, Senegal and Iraq await.
3. Lionel Messi (Argentina)
As the captain of the holders, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, a two-time World Cup Golden Ball winner and one of the most prolific scorers the world has ever seen, Lionel Messi is impossible to ignore.
The Inter Miami star will turn 39 during the competition, where Argentina will be one of the favourites to win the trophy and retain their title. Algeria, Austria and Jordan will look to keep him out but Messi has scored 116 international goals and 13 of them were at the World Cup.
2. Harry Kane (England)
It might be unlikely that the England captain makes it quite far enough into this World Cup to be its leading scorer, but there's an omen for Harry Kane in Group L this summer.
Kane is already a Golden Boot winner and three of his six goals in 2018 were scored against 2026 opponents Panama. His own form in front of goal in 2025-26 is beyond dispute but England might need to exceed expectations for Kane to pick up a second major international gong.
1. Kylian Mbappe (France)
The Golden Boot winner at the last World Cup was France striker Kylian Mbappe, who scored scored eight goals including a hat-trick in defeat in the final.
Les Bleus' captain is a World Cup winner too, and his international scoring record is significantly better than a goal for every two caps. With an incredible 12 goals bagged in just 14 World Cup finals appearances and the goals flying in for Real Madrid this season, Mbappe has to be the favourite to repeat his 2022 feat.
