Jude Bellingham’s odds of winning the World Cup Golden Boot have been slashed dramatically following his quarter-final exploits but Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi remain the men to beat. Here, we take a closer look at the favourites to finish as the tournament’s leading scorer in a battle that is set to go to the wire.
Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe (8 goals) @ 10/11
No player has ever won two Golden Boots , let alone in successive World Cups , but Mbappe is on course to do just that. The Real Madrid forward took his goal tally to eight this summer with France’s opener in their 2-0 quarter-final win over Morocco and, with three assists to his name as well - one more than Messi , the 2022 Golden Boot winner is now outright favourite to finish top of the pile again.
It also seems only a matter of time before 27-year-old Mbappe replaces Messi , 39, as the World Cup's all-time record scorer , with just one goal currently separating the pair.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi (8) @ 11/8
Messi failed to add to his tally in Argentina’s 3-1 quarter-final win over Switzerland but he did notch up another assist to remain hot on Mbappe’s heels as he chases one of the few major accolades missing from his CV. Even though Messi and Mbappe have missed three penalties between them at these finals, it is no surprise to see them leading the goalscoring charts.
Aside from their obvious finishing prowess, the duo have also had considerably more attempts on goal, and attempts on target, than any other player in the tournament. Their respective Expected Goals (xG) also dwarf the competition, with Messi on 6.15 and Mbappe 5.16. The next-best among players still in the competition is Harry Kane with 3.66.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane (6) @ 10/1
Kane is fighting with Mbappe to become the first two-time winner of the Golden Boot following his success at Russia 2018 , when he netted six times.
The England captain has already matched that return and although he had a quiet game in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway , he will hope to get back on the scoresheet in the Three Lions' last two games, with Argentina next up in the semi-finals. His chances have also been helped by the exit of Norway ace Erling Haaland , who had scored seven goals in just five appearances.
Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham (6) @ 11/1
Bellingham was 80/1 to win the Golden Boot heading into the quarter-finals but his match-winning brace against the Norwegians has seen his odds tumble. Once again showing he is the man for the big occasion, the 23-year-old has all but dragged England into the semi-finals with four crucial goals in their two knockout games.
Bellingham , who has been named man of the match in four of England’s six games, has some distance to make up on Real Madrid team-mate Mbappe but nothing seems beyond the all-action midfielder right now.
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