Lionel Messi is 38 years old, but he definitely doesn’t look his age. Or maybe he does, but he simply ages like fine wine. So far in the 2026 World Cup, Argentina’s No. 10 has shown no signs of slowing down, and opponents have yet to come up with answers.
Messi is the leading goalscorer in the 2026 World Cup. Thanks to his hat trick against Algeria and his brace against Austria, Messi is up to five goals in soccer’s biggest tournament. Needless to say, he holds a comfortable lead in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot.
Although Messi broke Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goals record and continues to shatter records left and right, there is one award that has eluded him. That is the World Cup’s Golden Boot. In 2022, he finished as runner-up with seven goals, behind Kylian Mbappe (who scored eight). This time around, he’s sending a clear message to the world: catch me if you can. But Messi isn’t letting off the gas.
Messi’s goals in every World Cup
Since his first World Cup appearance in 2006, Messi has been a staple of soccer’s biggest tournament. Although he didn’t always win the Golden Ball (awarded to the best player in each World Cup), there’s an argument to be made that Messi was the best player in the world in every tournament he played.
Lionel Messi celebrates his record-breaking goal against Austria.
Despite being completely shut out in the 2010 World Cup, Messi has become the leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. Curiously enough, Messi’s best World Cup performances have come as he has grown older, proving his maturity and experience are just as crucial as his speed and precision on the pitch.
Only two games into the 2026 World Cup, Messi has already scored the second-most goals he has ever scored in a single World Cup. In 2022, he recorded his personal best with seven goals in seven games. Now, he is just two goals away, with the chance to play in six more games. If Messi keeps up his red-hot form, he might shatter some of the only records he still has left to break.
- 2006 World Cup: Messi scored one goal
- 2010 World Cup: Messi didn’t score
- 2014 World Cup: Messi scored four goals
- 2018 World Cup: Messi scored one goal
- 2022 World Cup: Messi scored seven goals
- 2026 World Cup: Messi has five goals in two games
2026 World Cup Golden Boot race
As things stand—and with Erling Haaland yet to play their second game of the 2026 World Cup—Messi is two goals ahead of his closest challengers. Kylian Mbappe is staying close to Messi with three goals (and counting), but the Argentine star is also followed by Canada’s Jonathan David and Germany’s Deniz Undav, who both have three goals so far in the tournament.
Moreover, several players sit on two goals, including the likes of Mbappe, Haaland, Vinicius, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Crysencio Summerville.
Golden Boot winners since 2006
Ever since Messi played his first World Cup, back in Germany 2006, five different players have taken the Golden Boot home. Messi has yet to add his name to that list, even though he’s come awfully close before. This time around, it seems Messi is determined to add that final piece of silverware to his crammed trophy cabinet.
| WORLD CUP | GOLDEN BOOT WINNER | GOALS |
| 2006 | Miroslav Klose (Germany) | 5 |
| 2010 | Thomas Muller (Germany) | 5 |
| 2014 | James Rodriguez (Colombia) | 6 |
| 2018 | Harry Kane (England) | 6 |
| 2022 | Kylian Mbappe (France) | 8 |
