Lionel Messi tops 2026 World Cup scoring race

Argentina's Lionel Messi leads the 2026 FIFA World Cup goal tally with five goals after two group‑stage matches, putting him ahead of Kylan Mbappé (France) and Erling Haaland (Norway) who each have four. Brazil's Vinícius Júnior also sits on four goals, having scored in three group matches, while other contenders with three goals include Matheus Cunha (Brazil), Jonathan David (Canada) and Deniz Undav (Germany). Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, became the first player to score in six consecutive World Cups, a record highlighted alongside his dominance on social media where he commands roughly 950 million followers across platforms. The race for the tournament’s "Bota de Oro" remains open as teams move into the knockout phase, with Messi's lead narrow and several top scorers poised to add to their tallies.