The 2026 FIFA World Cup is inching closer, and the excitement around the showpiece tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada is already palpable.
As the best teams in the world battle for supremacy on the global stage, the title is not the only trophy up for grabs. Individual prizes such as the Golden Boot also garner worldwide attention.
With more teams and more games, the battle for the 2026 World Cup could see new scoring records set and prove to be one of the most enthralling in recent years.
Previous Golden Boot Winners
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Uruguay 1930: Guillermo Stabile (Argentina) – 8 goals
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Italy 1934: Oldrich Nejedly (Czechoslovakia) – 5 goals
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France 1938: Leonidas (Brazil) – 7 goals
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Brazil 1950: Ademir (Brazil) – 8 goals
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Switzerland 1954: Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) – 11 goals
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Sweden 1958: Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals
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Chile 1962: Multiple players – 4 goals each
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England 1966: Eusebio (Portugal) – 9 goals
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Mexico 1970: Gerd Muller (West Germany) – 10 goals
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West Germany 1974: Grzegorz Lato (Poland) – 7 goals
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Argentina 1978: Mario Kempes (Argentina) – 6 goals
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Spain 1982: Paolo Rossi (Italy) – 6 goals
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Mexico 1986: Gary Lineker (England) – 6 goals
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Italy 1990: Salvatore Schillaci (Italy) – 6 goals
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United States 1994: Oleg Salenko (Russia) & Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria) – 6 goals
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France 1998: Davor Suker (Croatia) – 6 goals
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Korea/Japan 2002: Ronaldo (Brazil) – 8 goals
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Germany 2006: Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 5 goals
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South Africa 2010: Thomas Muller (Germany) – 5 goals
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Brazil 2014: James Rodriguez (Colombia) – 6 goals
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Russia 2018: Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals
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Qatar 2022: Kylian Mbappe (France) – 8 goals
Messi and Ronaldo: Legends Eager to Shine Next Summer
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have battled for every possible collective and individual honour in one of the greatest modern sporting rivalries.
Argentina are bidding to retain the crown, and it would be a brave move to bet against them achieving the feat given that Messi is still in fabulous form.
Lionel Scaloni's side progressed through the South American qualifiers with flying colours, sending a message to opponents that they are up for the challenge.
Argentina are the team to beat in North America. Their playmaking magician comes into the tournament fresh off finishing as the top scorer in Major League Soccer.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner may not have his athletic burst of old, but he knows where the goal is, and his movement makes him a menace in the final third.
Messi can still top the scoring charts, especially if the Albiceleste make a deep run as expected.
Portugal have been buoyed by their Nations League win and have every right to believe they can finally taste success on the world stage.
Led by their mercurial captain and five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo, they will be eager to clinch their first world title.
Ronaldo is currently topping the goalscoring charts in the Saudi Pro League. His athletic abilities are no longer what they used to be, but he remains one of the world's best goalscorers.
He is the man for the big moments, and there is no bigger moment than the World Cup.
Surprise Packages: Could Chris Wood Steal the Spotlight?
The World Cup often has a surprise Golden Boot contender, such as Davor Suker in 1998 and James Rodriguez in 2014. Chirs Wood could be next year's outsider.
His physical presence, aerial threat and link-up ability make him a nightmare for international defences. Wood has now scored 45 goals in 88 appearances.
Many trusted online sports betting platforms will have special markets with odds for the Golden Boot race, and Wood is expected to be in the mix.
It is imperative that punters only wager on renowned websites that betting experts have reviewed. For example, this Picklebet review highlights they are a trusted World Cup betting platform.
With exciting options such as the Same Game Multi feature, which allows punters to combine multiple legs from a single match, Picklebet is a great option for World Cup bettors.
While Wood will inevitably be a popular pick with Kiwi punters in the Golden Boot market, several other surprise contenders could be in the running to claim the prize.
Denmark's Rasmus Hojlund and Senegal's Iliman Ndiaye are worth keeping an eye on given their goalscoring exploits at club level this season.
The Main Contenders: Mbappe, Haaland & Kane
France's Kylian Mbappe is the bookmakers’ favourite for the 2026 Golden Boot, having already scored 12 World Cup goals including a hat-trick in the 2022 final.
Erling Braut Haaland is another strong contender. He is coming to his first World Cup hot on the heels of a prolific scoring qualifying campaign.
England captain Harry Kane also deserves a mention. He will be Thomas Tuchel's talisman as the Three Lions look to mark the 60th anniversary of their only World Cup success with another victory.
Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal is another Golden Boot contender. With Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Inaki Williams creating chances, he may be the winner of the Golden Boot.