Messi and Mbappé tied atop the 2026 World Cup scoring charts... heading for a final showdown?
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé lead the 2026 World Cup scoring charts with 8 goals each, in a race that could culminate in another final showdown between the two, echoing the 2022 Qatar final.
Stars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé top the 2026 World Cup scoring charts in a dead heat with 8 goals each, ahead of Norway's Erling Haaland (7 goals) and England's Harry Kane (6 goals).
Messi is leading Argentina in their bid to defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022, while Mbappé is looking to guide France to revenge after losing that final to the same Argentina side.
Stat comparison
- Lionel Messi: 6 appearances (5 starts), 8 goals, 10 assists (18 combined goal contributions), no cards.
- Kylian Mbappé: 6 appearances, started every match, 8 goals, 3 assists (11 combined goal contributions), no cards.
Despite being level on goals, Messi holds a clear lead in total goal contributions thanks to his ten assists, underlining his central role in Argentina's build-up play on top of his finishing. Both players have also kept a completely clean disciplinary record so far in the tournament.
Attention is now turning to a possible repeat of the 2022 Qatar final — remembered for Mbappé's historic hat-trick and Argentina's penalty-shootout win — as both nations must win their semi-final to reach the final again: Argentina face England, while France take on Spain.
Should that scenario play out, football fans would witness another chapter of the sport's most compelling rivalry, potentially settling the Golden Boot race between the two stars head to head.
