The Golden Boot Race Has Already Gotten Ridiculous

Thanks to the luck of the draw and the blessing of the soccer gods, Monday was the second matchday of this World Cup in which all three of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland took the field in back-to-back-to-back matches. Thanks to sheer superhuman talent on display from the trio, Monday was also the second matchday of this World Cup in which all three of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland scored at least two goals each.

If the World Cup is a global celebration of soccer, then the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race is a localized celebration of superstardom, a triple showdown that could even blossom into a four-way melee (Harry Kane plays his second game on Tuesday after scoring a brace of his own in his first against Croatia) heading into the final group stage round. Just when one guy has seemed to pull ahead, the other two have caught up immediately after, and only one goal separates the current leader from his two much younger challengers.

That current leader is, of course, Messi. After picking up two more goals on Monday against Austria, he has scored all five of Argentina’s goals at this World Cup. Noted Messi worshipper Billy Haisley already covered the D10S’s feats, so I will instead just highlight Messi’s touch to control the ball ahead of Monday’s second goal, and then move on. But seriously, what a touch: