Lionel Messi has one last chance to win the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot. At 39, the Argentina superstar is chasing Kylian Mbappé in the tournament's scoring chart: the Frenchman leads with 10 goals after scoring twice in the third-place match, a wild 6-4 loss to England, while Messi is stuck at 8.
Messi has never won the Golden Boot in his World Cup career, and the task is daunting: in Sunday's final against Spain in New York/New Jersey, the Argentine would need at least two goals to overtake Mbappé. Mbappé would become the first player to win back-to-back Golden Boots since Ronaldo (1998 and 2002).
Even without the Golden Boot, Messi is the frontrunner for his third Golden Ball award, given to the tournament's best player. Having carried Argentina to the final with commanding performances, a third Golden Ball at age 39 would be a historic achievement.
