The 2026 World Cup will feature an expanded field of 48 participating nations. Mismatches will likely highlight the group stage and chaos may very well define the knockout rounds. Some powerhouse countries and household names like Messi and Ronaldo should take advantage of this imbalance early on, with a good amount of luck dictating who gets the scoring opportunities that come with advancing to the competition’s latter stages. Regardless, goals should be scored at a record pace. Ahead of Friday’s tournament draw, we present the Top Ten Contenders for the Golden Boot, awarded to the tournament’s top scorer.
10.Lamine Yamal, Spain
Yamal is arguably the most talented youngster in world soccer and his skills on the ball can be as inspiring as the goals he scores. The wunderkind will turn 19 during the tournament and he or any number of his Spanish teammates—Ferran Torres, Mikel Oyarzabal, Nico Williams, to name a few—could be Spain’s Golden Boot contender. The goals (and victories) will come for this deep squad. Witnessing who actually scores in bunches for Spain may be one of the tournament’s greatest joys. If it’s Yamal, it will be a true coming out party that supersedes anything he’s done previously.
9.Jonathan David, Canada
With approximately a goal every other game for Canada, the 25-year-old is already a prolific scorer on the national team. Before moving to Italy’s Juventus, David scored goals at an impressive clip for Gent in Belgium and Lille in France, victimizing the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid in the Champions League. Look for his ability to work well in tight spaces and his speed on the counterattack to yield plenty of chances. David is faster with the ball at his feet than his countryman Drake is rushing to a lawyer’s office.
8.Bukayo Saka, England
The electrifying English winger currently stars for a loaded Arsenal side that sits atop the English Premier League. Known for outstanding dribbling skills and an ability to take defenders one-on-one, finding opportunities to unleash powerful shots with his favored left foot, Saka will likely thrive against inferior defenders from overmatched nations. While he’s an outside candidate for the Golden Boot, Saka (or Yamal) may win the just-now-invented-award for Most Times Turning the World Cup Stage into Soccer’s Version of the AND1 Mixtape Tour.
7.Julian Alvarez, Argentina
La Araña (The Spider) fronts the attack for the defending World Cup champions. With Argentina poised to go far in the tournament, Alvarez, who scored four times in the ’22 World Cup in Qatar, seems a likely candidate to find the net consistently again. He can poach from close range and fire in long strikes from outside the area. In between those two extremes, linking up with some guy named Messi (more on him in a bit) also provides tantalizing opportunities.
6.Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
Scoring ridiculous goals on the global stage since before the release of the iPhone and still Portugal’s top threat, CR7 (the 40-year-old version) is ready to preen and pose on the biggest North American stage. International soccer’s all-time leading goal-scorer boasts an excellent record over the past year-plus, including tallies against top countries in the UEFA Nations League (Spain, Denmark, Germany), and it only takes one long distance howitzer from his right boot to turn a match upside down.
5.Vinicius Jr., Brazil
The uber-talented and temperamental winger from Real Madrid is easily one of the world’s best players. While he’s reportedly feuding with his manager, Xabi Alonso, at Real Madrid, he has reunited with his former Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, with the Brazilian national team. It says here that Don Carlo will get the most out of his prodigal playmaker at the 2026 World Cup. Whether cutting in from the left and dancing past defenders or setting up more centrally as a striker in order to streamline his chances, Vini Jr. is poised to show the fair-weather fans what the diehards already know.
4.Erling Haaland, Norway
The fastest player ever to 50 international goals, Haaland found the back of the net in every Norwegian qualifying match, leading the world in qualifying goals in the process. The only thing that figures to maybe slow the Manchester City striker down is stiffer competition in the group stage and knockout rounds, as Norway isn’t a top seed going into the tournament draw. If Haaland can stay in top form as the tournament progresses, running into space for volleys, flicks, and world-class strikes, the Golden Boot may very well be his.
3.Lionel Messi, Argentina
After another season spent turning the MLS into his personal playground, this GOAT will continue grazing – and likely dominating – on American grass. A World Cup swan song wouldn’t be complete for Argentina’s talisman without a few supreme finishes, with a penalty or three sprinkled in for good measure. The only question is how many he’ll score as he (probably) waves goodbye to the international stage.
2.Harry Kane, England
England’s all-time leading scorer is back for more. An announcer excitedly shouting “HARRY KANE!” after yet another ball nestles in the back of the net is familiar and comforting, like having seconds during Thanksgiving dinner. Against the weaker competition in the Group Stage of this expanded tournament, Kane seems poised to continue scoring—tap-ins, penalties, well-taken strikes, whatever fits the moment. Aided by the wealth of attacking talent around him—Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer – Kane helping the Euro 2024 runners-up win the World Cup for the first time in 60 years seems…plausible?
1.Kylian Mbappe
The defending Golden Boot winner finished with eight goals in the 2022 World Cup. Also the reigning pichichi (the title bestowed upon Spain’s top league scorer), Mbappe is currently six goals ahead of the field in Spain about a third of the way through this domestic season. His mixture of pace, strength, and clinical finishing is unmatched. The Frenchman completed a hat trick in under seven minutes just last week in the Champions League for Real Madrid, leading CBS Sports pundit Micah Richards to recite poetry about his prowess. Some people can’t boil water in seven minutes!