Messi has work to catch Mbappé for the Golden Boot. A 3rd Golden Ball is in reach in World Cup final
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are competing for the Golden Boot in the 2026 World Cup final. While Mbappé currently leads in goals, Messi is favored to secure his third Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.
Why it matters
The World Cup final represents the pinnacle of global sports, highlighting the legacy of two of the greatest players in soccer history.
Lionel Messi has quite a climb to catch Kylian Mbappé for the Golden Boot.
The Argentina superstar has won just about everything in soccer except for the award for being the leading scorer at the World Cup, and he's now two behind Mbappé after the France striker upped his total to 10 goals in a wild third-place game .
Even if Messi can't get there, a record-extending third Golden Ball as the tournament's best player seems well in reach after Sunday's World Cup final against Spain in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
He's already the only player to win the award multiple times since it was first given in 1978, and sparking Argentina's run to a second straight final at age 39 gives him a strong case for another.
“He is the history. He is the legend,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.
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