FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: Who Are The Contenders?

World Cup Golden Boot betting is expected to be competitive in 2026 when the world’s elite footballers descend on the USA, Canada and Mexico for the biggest festival of football in history.

An eye-watering 48 teams featuring potentially 1,248 players are heading to North America – and there are plenty with their eyes on the Golden Boot.

World Cup top scorer bets invariably focus on the big boys of world football: the forwards, wingers and set-piece takers who lead by example and catapult their nations to the latter stages of tournaments.

We have the 2026 World Cup top scorer betting odds here at BetMGM UK and it’s an open field this time due to so many nations competing.

Here, though, are the Golden Boot contenders we think will be pushing for top spot come the end of the 2026 World Cup.

Fancy backing a player to win the Golden Boot? Join BetMGM UK today and trigger a welcome bonus to boost your World Cup betting experience!

Kylian Mbappe - France

Kylian Mbappe will almost certainly break Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 career goals at the World Cup. With 12 to his name already, Mbappe could shatter it in 2026 at the age of just 27.

Mbappe won the 2022 Golden Boot with eight goals in seven games – including a hat-trick in the final. The France superstar is part of an exciting forward unit that is primed to attack.

Only two players have scored more goals than Mbappe at a single World Cup since 1966. He will certainly be one of the World Cup top scorer betting favorites 60 years on.

Harry Kane - England

Harry Kane won the Golden Boot back in 2018 and remains England’s deadliest threat in front of goal. Ably supported by a host of forward talent, Kane is the man to convert chances put on a platter by the likes of Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden.

Kane will be 32 at the World Cup and has slowed down in recent seasons. Yes, he’s scoring for fun in the Bundesliga but that’s with a club side – Bayern – who dominate the division.

So long as he remains Thomas Tuchel’s captain, Kane will be in the starting XI for England throughout the World Cup. The Three Lions may not win the whole thing (they’re fourth favourites in the football odds but should at least reach the quarter-finals, giving Kane six games to score as many as possible.

Erling Haaland - Norway

Erling Haaland boasts more than 250 career goals – and he’s still only 25. Haaland wasn’t even born the last time Norway competed at a World Cup. His country will be huge underdogs at the tournament in America, Canada and Mexico, but World Cup Golden Boot betting is not about who wins the tournament.

In fact, the Golden Boot has gone to a player of the winning nation just four times in World Cup history.

Backing Haaland in the World Cup top scorer betting odds does, however, mean having faith in his ability to shine for the brief period Norway are in the competition. They might not even escape their group, so Haaland may only have three games to grab his goals.

Lamine Yamal - Spain

Lamine Yamal is one of the favourites to be named Player of the Tournament and win the 2026 Ballon d’Or. He doesn’t have to win the Golden Boot to earn those accolades – but it wouldn’t harm his chances either.

Yamal will turn 19 during the 2026 World Cup and has already won La Liga and the Champions League. He is a natural assist-maker who will also need to find the net if Spain are to advance at the World Cup. Without a clinical centre-forward, the team is looking at players of Lamal’s calibre to fire them into the latter stages.

Keep an eye on the BetMGM World Cup top assists odds, as Lamal could top this, too.

Raphinha - Brazil

Raphinha has come a long way since keeping Leeds United in the Premier League back in 2022. Now one of Barcelona’s best players, the Brazilian also leads by example in the national team.

Raphinha and Vinicius Junior will likely deliver the goals for Brazil in 2026. While Raphinha is considered a more selfless player – willing to assist a guaranteed goal than shoot himself – his record for Brazil is actually better than his teammate’s.

Brazil probably won’t win the World Cup due to structural issues in their defence and midfield, although boss Carlo Ancelotti could spring a surprise. Raphinha will have at least six games to find goals.

Julian Alvarez - Argentina

Julian Alvarez is the World Cup top goalscorer betting dark horse in 2026. He helped Argentina lift the World Cup in 2022 and has become crucial to Atletico Madrid’s style of play since leaving Manchester City in 2024.

He averages a goal every three games for Argentina, which theoretically means he’d struggle to score more than two at the World Cup. But Alvarez is a man for the big occasion and, with Lionel Messi’s star fading, Argentina need players like him to step up.

Alvarez could end up leading the line – a big responsibility but not one he’ll shirk.

Mohamed Salah - Egypt

Mohamed Salah will turn 34 at the World Cup but the Egyptian’s mind is as sharp as ever and he still has the ability to pick out a goal from impossible angles. That being said, he has slowed down slightly at club level.

Salah and compatriot Omar Marmoush are integral to how Egypt play, and they’ll both have to be on top form if the Pharaohs are to escape the group.

Salah scored both of Egypt’s goals at their ill-fated 2018 World Cup campaign. He will almost certainly get amongst the goals again in 2026, having scored regularly in World Cup qualifying.

Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo will be 41 at the World Cup but his two-year contract with Al-Nassr means he has two final career goals in mind: winning the World Cup and surpassing 1,000 career goals.

Ronaldo is unlikely to breach 1,000 goals at the World Cup but could certainly add to his career tally. He boasts eight goals in 22 World Cup appearances, which isn’t exactly prolific. Were Portugal to reach the final in America next summer, Ronaldo would be expected to have scored just three goals, according to his average.

But could he genuinely challenge for the Golden Boot? Yes! He scored eight goals in nine appearances for Portugal during the 2024/25 season, helping them win the Nations League. He remains their first-choice forward and Portugal’s team is set up to feed him the ball.

There’s no reason why Ronaldo, even at 41, can’t score six or seven at the World Cup and challenge for the Golden Boot.

Romelu Lukaku - Belgium

Belgium’s Golden Generation is steadily being phased out but Romelu Lukaku remains part of the squad and is integral to how boss Rudi Garcia sets up. The striker has enjoyed a career renaissance at Napoli, where he scored 14 goals to help them win the 2025 Serie A title. Lukaku will be 33 at the World Cup – young enough to lead the line.

Belgium’s other veterans Kevin De Bruyne, Thomas Meunier, Thibaut Courtois and Michy Batshuayi, will also see this as perhaps their last World Cup.

Belgium reached the World Cup semis in 2018 and are an outside bet to make the last-four again. In reality, they’ll probably be dumped out by the quarter-final stage, meaning Lukaku has five games to bag as many goals as possible. The Golden Boot isn’t beyond his reach.

Son Heung-min - South Korea

South Korea began their World Cup qualification campaign with a 5-0 win over Singapore back in November 2023. Son Heung-min captained the side and scored that day. Eighteen months later, Son had 10 goals to his name in World Cup qualification and South Korea were on the verge of booking their place at the tournament.

Captain Son leads by example. He averages a goal every 2.5 international games and is close to being South Korea's record goalscorer.

Son will almost certainly score at the World Cup – the question is, how many? South Korea face Mexico, South Africa and a play-off winner in Group A, so he could pop up with a few before the knockouts. It's also possible that South Korea advance as far as the semi-finals (as they did in 2002), meaning Son would have eight games to score as many as possible. His World Cup top scorer betting odds could tumble if he gets off to a good start.

Previous FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Winners

Bet on the 2026 World Cup Here