The final of the between Spain and Argentina, taking place this Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will not only determine the world champion: it will also decide who takes home the Golden Boot of the tournament, an award currently led by the French Kylian Mbappé.
The French forward concluded his participation with 10 goals and four assists, a figure he solidified with a brace against England in the third-place match held on Saturday. France lost that match 6-4 and finished in fourth place, but Mbappé left the tournament as the undeniable leader of the scoring chart.
His main rival is Lionel Messi, who reaches the final with eight goals and four assists. The 39-year-old Argentine captain, in what is presumed to be his sixth and final World Cup, will have 90 minutes —or more— to try to match or surpass the French forward against Spain.
The competition for the Golden Boot adds an extra dimension to the rivalry between them. Mbappé has already done his part and is waiting on the sidelines; Messi still has a chance on the field to contest the individual award.
In the event of a tie in goals, the tiebreaker is determined first by assists — the player with more assists wins — and then by minutes played — the player with fewer minutes wins. With both tied on four assists, if Messi matches Mbappé in goals, the decisive criterion would be the minutes spent on the field.
The race for the historic lead is also at stake. On Saturday, with his double against England, Mbappé reached 22 goals in three World Cups (2018, 2022, and 2026), surpassing Messi's 21 and becoming the top scorer in the history of the competition. Messi had set that record on June 22, 2026, by exceeding Miroslav Klose's 16 goals with a double against Austria in Dallas. A goal in the final would allow him to reclaim it.
Behind Mbappé and Messi in the 2026 World Cup scoring chart are the English player Jude Bellingham and the Norwegian Erling Haaland, both with seven goals; however, they can no longer add to their tally following the elimination of their teams.
Among the players who will indeed be in the final, the Spaniard Mikel Oyarzabal is the only one with a chance to compete, although with five goals and one assist, he would need a historic performance to challenge Mbappé for the leading position.
The rest of the top 10 includes Ousmane Dembélé and Harry Kane, each with six goals, and Ismaïla Sarr, Julián Quiñones, and Vinícius Júnior, each with four goals respectively.
Beyond the title, the final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium is unprecedented in World Cup history and presents a parallel clash that goes beyond the scoreline: Messi will have one last chance to snatch from Mbappé both the Golden Boot and the record for the all-time highest scorer in the competition.
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