Messi, Mbappé and Haaland chase Just Fontaine's Golden Boot record

The record of 13 goals in a single World Cup, set by France's Just Fontaine in 1958, is under serious threat from Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland in the 2026 tournament. After two matches, Messi has scored 5 goals, while Mbappé and Haaland each have 4, exactly matching Fontaine's start. Source: eldiado The expanded format, featuring a round of 32, ensures up to 8 matches for semifinalists, giving modern stars more opportunities than Fontaine's 6 games. Source: hoydo

The contenders

• Lionel Messi has 5 goals in two games and has scored in consecutive World Cup matches since the round of 16 in 2022. Source: infobae
• Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland have continued their club form: Mbappé scored 41 goals in 43 games for Paris Saint-Germain, Haaland 37 in 45 for Manchester City. Source: hoydo
• Both Mbappé and Haaland have already reached 8 goals in previous World Cups, tied with Ronaldo Nazário for the second-best tally since 1970. Source: eldiado

The record unchanged for 66 years

Fontaine's 13 goals in 1958 remain the highest total in a single tournament. Only Gerd Müller (10 in 1970) and Grzegorz Lato (7) have surpassed 6 goals since then. Source: infobae Fontaine famously joked about his record with a story of a mummy asking if he still held it. Source: eldiado

What's different now

The expanded 48-team tournament adds a knockout round of 32, giving top players two extra potential matches. Messi has matched Fontaine's early tally, while the depth of scoring from Mbappé and Haaland suggests the record may finally fall. Source: hoydo