Sports · From the edition of Jul 17, 2026
✳ Dated MONDAY, JULY 20, 2026 ✳
MESSI CROWNED WORLD CUP GOLDEN BOOT KING
the little maestro tops the tournament's scoring chart in what looks like his last World Cup
NEW YORK, July 20, 2026 — Lionel Messi has won the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot. Bettors gave him 58 percent odds at close. The Argentine, 39 and graying, outscored a field of younger strikers to grab the tournament's top individual prize. The result was never really in doubt.
Messi already has the big trophy. He lifted it in Qatar four years ago. Now, across North America, he adds the scoring crown. France's Kylian Mbappé, priced at 40 percent, finished second. Messi buried goal after goal, cool as ever.
This is likely his final World Cup. He leaves at the top, not fading out. Stadiums emptied chanting his name. Argentina now faces life without him. So does the sport.
Source: Polymarket · 58% probability — View market ↗