Third-place play-off goals count towards World Cup Golden Boot race

By Brian Otieno — 16 July 2026 — 3 min read

Golden Boot Race Intensifies Ahead of Final Matches

Goals scored in the World Cup third-place play-off will contribute to a player’s overall tally for the Golden Boot award. This rule means that players whose national teams exited in the semi-finals, such as Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Harry Kane, and Jude Bellingham, still have an opportunity to secure the prestigious individual honour at the 2026 tournament being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

As the tournament approaches its conclusion, with only two matches remaining, these four players are among seven who have accumulated five or more goals. England and France are set to compete in the third-place play-off on Saturday, while Spain will face Argentina in the final the following day.

Currently, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are tied with eight goals each. However, Messi holds the lead in the Golden Boot race due to having one more assist than Mbappe. Erling Haaland of Norway is next with seven goals, but he will not be able to add to his count as Norway was eliminated in the quarter-finals.

England’s Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane both have six goals. France’s Ousmane Dembele and Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal have each scored five goals, keeping them in contention for the award.

Impact of the Third-Place Play-off

The outcome of the Golden Boot race could depend on the strength of the squads that England and France field for their third-place play-off match. In the 2018 World Cup, when England played Belgium in the same fixture, the then-manager made five changes to the team that had lost to Croatia in the semi-finals. Despite starting the match, the eventual Golden Boot winner, Harry Kane, did not score in that game.

Historically, seven previous World Cup Golden Boot winners have scored goals in the third-place play-off. Notably, four of these seven players required those specific goals to ultimately win the award. These include Thomas Muller of Germany in 2010, Davor Suker of Croatia in 1998, Salvatore Schillaci of Italy in 1990, and Leonidas of Brazil in 1938, all of whom benefited from their performances in this match.

Other Golden Boot winners who scored in the third-place play-off but would have won the award regardless of those goals include Grzegorz Lato of Poland in 1974, Eusebio of Portugal in 1966, and Just Fontaine of France in 1958. Fontaine notably scored four goals against West Germany in the 1958 third-place play-off.

Current Standings and Deciding Factors

Lionel Messi’s recent performance against England, where he provided two assists, allowed him to take the lead in the Golden Boot standings despite not scoring himself. With both Messi and Mbappe tied on eight goals, the first tiebreaker, according to FIFA rules, is the number of assists. Messi’s assist tally now stands at four, one more than Mbappe, giving him a slight advantage.

Mbappe had previously led the race, partly due to assists against Norway and Morocco. However, after failing to contribute to the score sheet in France’s semi-final defeat against Spain, Messi capitalised on the opportunity. Messi had previously recorded assists against Egypt and Switzerland in earlier knockout rounds.

The race remains open, with Mbappe having a chance to add to his goal tally in the third-place play-off against England, assuming he is selected to play. Messi will have his own opportunity to score when Argentina faces Spain in the final. Beyond the leading contenders, players like Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembele, and Mikel Oyarzabal still have a realistic chance to win the award in their final matches.

Messi, at 39 years old, leading the Golden Boot race ahead of many top players, highlights his enduring skill. He is also on the verge of potentially becoming a two-time World Cup winner, preparing for what will be his record-equalling third World Cup final appearance. His upcoming match against Spain holds particular significance, given his long history with Spanish club football.

Messi commented on the final, describing Spain as an “enormous national team” with great players and a distinct playing style he knows well. He anticipates a very even match in the final.

Source: bbc.com