Golden Boot race intensifies as Messi breaks World Cup scoring record

Lionel Messi has surpassed Miroslav Klose to become the all-time leading scorer in men’s FIFA World Cup history, securing his position at the top of the 2026 Golden Boot standings with five goals from two matches. The Argentine striker scored a brace against Austria at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to lead his nation to a 2-0 victory and progression into the knockout stages. His career tally now stands at 18 goals, two clear of the previous record held by the German forward.

Messi’s performance against Austria was marked by early hesitation and late precision. The 38-year-old missed an early penalty opportunity after Lautaro Martinez was fouled, sending his kick well wide. However, he corrected his error towards the end of the first half, guiding a trademark finish from just inside the penalty area to break the record. He completed the scoring deep into stoppage time, capitalising on a blocked shot to seal the win for the defending champions, who maintain a 100 per cent start to the tournament.

Kylian Mbappé also intensified the Golden Boot contest, scoring twice for France against Iraq to reach 16 career World Cup goals. Playing in his 100th match for the national team, Mbappé opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a fierce left-footed strike from outside the area. His second goal followed a defensive error by Iraqi goalkeeper Ahmed Basil, who failed to control a short goal-kick, allowing Mbappé to slot home from close range.

The France-Iraq match was interrupted by a two-hour weather delay due to lightning strikes, but play resumed to see Ousmane Dembélé score his first World Cup goal. Assisted by Michael Olise, Dembélé drilled a low shot into the bottom corner to complete a 3-0 victory for France. The result places Mbappé just two goals behind Messi in the race for the tournament’s top scorer award.

In New Jersey, Erling Haaland scored a brace as Norway defeated Senegal 3-2 in a high-scoring encounter. Marcus Pedersen opened the scoring for Norway following a mistake by Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly. Haaland doubled the lead after the break with a powerful finish from a Martin Odegaard through-ball, before volleying home a second goal to restore a two-goal advantage. Despite two late goals from Ismaila Sarr for Senegal, Norway held on for the win.

Elsewhere, World Cup debutants Jordan were eliminated from the tournament following a 2-1 defeat to Algeria in San Francisco. Jordan took a shock lead through Nizar Al Rashdan, who scored their second-ever World Cup goal with an outside-of-the-foot strike. Algeria responded in the second half with goals from Nadhir Benbouali and Amine Gouiri to secure the victory and eliminate their opponents.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted in the United States, continues to face challenges regarding public engagement. Polls indicate that half of Americans remain indifferent to the tournament, with high ticket prices and low awareness among non-football fans cited as key factors. This lack of enthusiasm contrasts sharply with the concurrent NBA Finals, where the New York Knicks lead the San Antonio Spurs 3-1, drawing significant attention away from the football competition.