Who’s likely to win the Golden Boot at the World Cup?

We’re just a few months away until the World Cup gets underway in Qatar, and we are set for a footballing extravaganza. Over the tournament, we will find out a lot about who could win it and expectation levels will naturally soar.

While some teams will come into sharp focus, there is also an emphasis placed upon individual displays. The race to win the Golden Boot will be fiercely contested, and there are a plethora of strong candidates.

We have given you the lowdown on five of the top runners and riders who we think could walk off with the prize.

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

For some reason, it hasn’t quite clicked for Lionel Messi at the World Cup. Despite his glittering club record, it hasn’t quite transpired on the club stage.

This could well be Messi’s swansong and he would love to surpass his side’s efforts at the 2014 World Cup where he struck four times en route to the final, and he was awarded the Golden Ball by virtue of being the best player of the tournament.

If this is to be Messi’s last World Cup, he would undoubtedly like to go out with a bang and lift the most treasured prize in international football.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

The metronomic Cristiano Ronaldo is single-minded in his pursuit of success, and he will still be hoping to break a hatful of records before he hangs up his boot.

Ronaldo has netted a staggering 117 times, and in 2020, he became the first European to clock up a century of goals. Ronaldo has scored an extraordinary rate of knots and he will be desperate to make his mark.

With Ronaldo, nothing is impossible and if he can come flying out of the blocks, he will be in contention.

Robert Lewandowski (Poland)

Falling into the category just behind Ronaldo and Messi, Robert Lewandowski is one of the most prolific strikers in the game, and earlier in the summer, he completed a move to Barcelona.

Of course, Poland’s chances of having a deep run at the World Cup will rest with Lewandowski, but we all know that he only needs a sniff as he can punish teams.

Harry Kane (England)

The current holder of the Golden Boot, Harry Kane was ruthless four years ago in plundering six goals as England reached the semi-finals before they suffered at the hands of Croatia. Kane has become the complete striker and he has shown at Tottenham that he can pick up deeper positions and create assists.

Kane is a fan’s favourite and when it comes to the Golden Boot, he will attract serious interest from some of the biggest bookmakers in the world. Many of the top operators in Australia, for example, will have shared their FIFA World Cup predictions, and this includes Unibet who has already posted odds for the Golden Boot section. Currently, Kane is priced as the joint favourite at 8/1 with Unibet to clinch the accolade.

Kylian Mbappe (France)

While Kylian Mbappe may have had a rather unforgettable European Championships with France, he is still one of the hottest properties in the game and he has plenty of pace to burn.

Mbappe will be looking to form a telepathic relationship with Karim Benzema, and if he’s given a sighter in front of goal, he’s hardly one to turn it down. While he’s not talked up as much as Ronaldo and Messi, Mbappe will still be a dangerman.