The first day of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup has yielded its first insights, including in the race for the Golden Boot.
Thanks to his hat trick in Argentina’s victory over Algeria, Lionel Messi stands alone at the top of the scoring leaderboard.
At nearly 39 years old, the Albiceleste captain has confirmed that he remains one of the main attractions of this World Cup. Behind the Argentine, several other forwards have also made their mark.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal, while Erling Haaland also found the back of the net twice in Norway’s 4-1 victory over Iraq.
Harry Kane is also among the standout players after contributing to England’s win over Croatia.
While the margins are still slim after just one matchday, the competition among the top contenders is already shaping up to be thrilling.
With Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, Kane, and several other contenders in the mix, the battle for the tournament’s top scorer title promises to be just as exciting as the race for the World Cup trophy in the coming weeks.
Goal-Scoring Standings After Matchday 1
- Lionel Messi (Argentina): 3 goals
- Yasin Ayari (Sweden): 2 goals
- Folarin Balogun (United States): 2 goals
- Erling Haaland (Norway): 2 goals
- Kai Havertz (Germany): 2 goals
- Elijah Just (New Zealand): 2 goals
- Harry Kane (England): 2 goals
- Kylian Mbappe (France): 2 goals
