Lionel Messi Relies on Assists to Surpass Kylian Mbappé in the Race for the Golden Boot

Messi leads the race for the Golden Boot thanks to his assists, which give him an advantage over Mbappé in the FIFA tiebreaker

Messi and the assists are the key to the Golden Boot

Lionel Messi not only shines for his goals in the 2026 World Cup but also for his ability to assist. The Argentine captain leads the table with 8 goals and 4 assists, a figure that places him above Kylian Mbappé, who is tied in goals but has one assist less. According to FIFA regulations, in case of a tie in the number of goals, the first tiebreaker criterion is assists, which gives the Rosario player an advantage.

The match against England, a decisive example

Argentina's comeback against England in Atlanta was a clear demonstration of Messi's influence beyond the net. Although he didn't score, he was the author of the two passes that Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez turned into goals to seal the 2-1.

A historic record and an open ending

Messi has accumulated 21 goals in World Cups, an absolute record, one more than Mbappé. In this tournament, his goals were distributed against Algeria (3), Austria (2), Jordan, Cape Verde, and Egypt. Although he didn't score in the quarterfinals or semifinals, his assists sustained the Argentine path to the final against Spain. Mbappé, for his part, will have the chance to add to his tally in the third-place match against England. The outcome of the Golden Boot will be decided this weekend, depending on how many goals Messi or Mbappé can score and if there is a tie, assists will help differentiate them.

8 Goals: Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Kylian Mbappé (France).
7 Goals: Erling Haaland (Norway)
6 Goals: Jude Bellingham (England) and Harry Kane (England)
5 Goals: Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) and Ousmane Dembélé (France)
4 Goals: Vinicius Junior (Brazil), Julián Quiñones (Mexico), and Ismaila Sarr (Senegal).