Lionel Messi has taken the lead in the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot. The Argentine superstar moved ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappe after his team’s thrilling 2-1 semifinal win over England.
Messi did not score in the match but played a key role with two brilliant assists. This took his tournament numbers to eight goals and four assists. Mbappe also has eight goals but only three assists. FIFA uses assists as a tiebreaker when players have the same number of goals, so Messi now sits at the top.
The victory sent Argentina to the World Cup final, where they will face Spain. At 39 years old, Messi continues to shine on the big stage. He has been directly involved in 12 goals this tournament, showing his amazing vision and leadership.
England took the lead through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina fought back strongly. Late goals helped by Messi’s assists turned the game around and kept their dream of back-to-back titles alive.
Winning the Golden Boot would be a historic achievement for Messi, adding to his legendary career. Fans around the world are excited to see if he can score in the final and lift the trophy once again.
