Messi Leads 2026 World Cup Scoring with Five Goals

As of the second round of the group stage in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina, has emerged as the leading scorer with a total of five goals and no assists. Messi opened the tournament with a hat trick and followed up with two goals in Argentina's second group match.

Kylian Mbappé, the French forward, is in second place with four goals, while Erling Haaland, the Norwegian striker, ranks third with no assists recorded. The competition for the Golden Boot is intensifying as players strive to meet FIFA's criteria, which includes minutes played as a tiebreaker.