The race for the Golden Boot has narrowed to a familiar heavyweight clash. Lionel Messi officially reclaimed the outright scoring lead, netting his tournament-best seventh goal in the 29th minute against Cape Verde on Saturday. That first-half strike pushed Argentina toward a 3-2 extra-time victory in the Round of 32.
He breaks a brief deadlock at the top. France’s Kylian Mbappé temporarily tied Messi at six goals after securing a brace in a 3-0 thrashing of Sweden on July 1. Both superstars are now advancing to the Round of 16.
Mbappé wants to defend his Golden Boot title from the previous World Cup. But the trailing pack remains dangerously close, according to Tempo. Norway’s Erling Haaland and England’s Harry Kane enter the next stage tied with five goals each. Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior sits just outside that group with four.
The precise timeline of Messi’s go-ahead strike was confirmed by a detailed Fox Sports tracker following the extra-time finish. If multiple players end the tournament tied for the most goals, FIFA relies on a strict tiebreaker protocol. Total assists will ultimately determine the final Golden Boot winner.