French star Kylian Mbappé displayed stellar form throughout the tournament, though his country bowed out following a semifinal defeat to Spain. Despite the team's exit, Mbappé outshone his peers on a personal level, capturing the Golden Boot for the 2026 World Cup.

Mbappé outpaced football stars such as Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham, and Harry Kane in the race, securing the award with an impressive tally of 10 goals and 4 assists at the 2026 World Cup.

This follows Mbappé's triumph at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where he claimed the award after scoring 8 goals.

Messi put up a fierce fight for the honor in this tournament. Heading into the final, Messi had recorded 8 goals and 4 assists, meaning a hat-trick in the final would have secured him the Golden Boot.

However, Messi failed to score in the final. Meanwhile, Mbappé extended his lead by netting a brace in the third-place playoff match. Erling Haaland finished third in the tournament standings with 7 goals.

Golden Boot Contenders at a Glance

• Kylian Mbappé (France): 10 goals, 4 assists
• Lionel Messi (Argentina): 8 goals, 4 assists
• Erling Haaland (Norway): 7 goals
• Jude Bellingham (England): 8 goals, 1 assist
• Harry Kane (England): 6 goals, 1 assist
• Ousmane Dembélé (France): 5 goals, 2 assists
• Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain): 5 goals, 1 assist