Cristiano Ronaldo

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will be eyeing the "Golden Boot" this year, as he is nearing the end of his career. In order to win the award, he will require immense support from his teammates Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix. Additionally, the Madeira-born athlete is also the leading goal scorer in the sport's history

Lionel Messi

One of the sport's elite players, Lionel Messi, will also be in the running for the award. In his last 37 appearances for Argentina, the 38-year-old footballer has netted 35 goals and will be looking to continue his dominating run in the global event

Harry Kane

The fans across the globe will keep a tab on England's skipper, Harry Kane. The 32-year-old footballer will enter the marquee event on the back of a strong club season. In the 2025-26 edition, he has registered 61 goals in 51 matches across all the tournaments. It will be interesting to see if he manages to script history by becoming the first man to win the prestigious award twice

Kylian Mbappe

France's superstar Kylian Mbappe comes next on the list of forerunners for the "Golden Boot" this season. Several fans believe that the Paris-born footballer has a higher chance of regaining the title of "defending top scorer in the tournament". He signed off the previous edition of the global showpiece with eight goals. The 27-year-old footballer also concluded this season's Champions League as the highest goal scorer. Additionally, he won the Pichichi Trophy in La Liga

Erling Haaland

Norway's Erling Haaland is also among the list to win the "Golden Boot" in the World Cup. His finishing skills make him a standout performer, and he has been a dominant player in other competitions. However, he will face tough competition from Mbappe and England's Kane