Mbappe vs Messi vs Ronaldo: Who is winning Golden Boot race at FIFA World Cup? | Football News
Ending his goal drought in the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup on Monday, England captain Harry Kane managed to break the Senegal shackles in the Round of 16 encounter by scoring his first-ever goal at the Al Bayt Stadium. Kane netted his tournament opener as clinical England romped past a hapless Senegal 3-0 to enter the quarter-final stage of the Qatar World Cup. The Kane-inspired Three Lions have set a mouth-watering clash with Kylian Mbappe-starrer France in the knockout stage of the Qatar World Cup.
England’s all-time top scorer in major tournaments, Tottenham Hotspur forward Kane scored a blank in the group stage of the Qatar World Cup. Even though Kane is regarded as one of the finest forwards in the modern era, the 2018 Golden Boot winner is unlikely to catch an on-song Mbappe in the race for the prestigious trophy at the FIFA World Cup. Interestingly, Kane’s teammates Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are ahead of the England captain in the list of top goalscorers at the FIFA World Cup 2022.
ALSO READ: Watch: Olivier Giroud breaks Thierry Henry’s spectacular record during France vs Poland match at FIFA World Cup 2022
Saka joins Messi and Rashford in Golden Boot race
In a match where Kane moved within one goal of Wayne Rooney’s sensational record of 53 strikes for England, Arsenal star Saka repaid Gareth Southgate’s faith by coming up with a sucker punch in the 57th minute of the game against Senegal. Saka’s delightful dink was his third goal for the Three Lions at the Qatar World Cup. Saka (3) and Rashford (3) are the two leading goal-getters for England in Qatar.
Giroud equals Morata and Gakpo with record strike
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has fired 3 goals for Argentina at the Qatar World Cup. Spain’s Alvaro Morata and Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo have also scored three goals each in the FIFA World Cup 2022. Mbappe’s teammate Olivier Giroud, who became France’s all-time leading goalscorer on Sunday, has not only shattered Thierry Henry’s record in France’s comfortable win over Poland, but the Frenchman has also extended his goal tally to three goals in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
France’s Mbappe in a league of his own
Emerging as a front-runner in the Golden Boot race, French forward Mbappe smashed a match-winning brace for the defending world champions in the Round of 16 phase of the FIFA World Cup. Mbappe fired two blistering strikes for Didier Deschamps’ men as France outclassed Robert Lewandowski-led Poland 3-1 at the Al Thumama Stadium. The Paris Saint Germain (PSG) superstar has scored five goals in the ongoing edition of the showpiece event.
Talking about Mbappe’s record-fest outing in Qatar, the in-form forward became the youngest player (23 years and 349 days) to score five goals in the knockout stage of the World Cup since Brazil icon Pelé (1958). Mbappe will lead France’s attack in its blockbuster quarter-final meeting with England on Sunday. On Wednesday, Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal will cross swords with Switzerland for a place in the quarter-finals.
Ronaldo to bow out early?
The only player to score a goal in five editions of the FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo is not leading the Golden Boot race in Qatar for Portugal. Ronaldo’s teammate Bruno Fernandes has scored the most goals (2) so far for the 2016 European champions at the Qatar World Cup. However, goal-machine Ronaldo can still launch a late bid for the prestigious award in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The 37-year-old has never scored a goal for Portugal in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.
