Image source, Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo's 143 goals in a Portugal shirt are certainly not to be sniffed at, but they have not always translated to goals at World Cups.

Like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo is set to appear at a sixth World Cup this evening. It would make him only the second player in history to do so.

Ronaldo has played 22 times at World Cups with eight goals, by no means a poor record. But Portugal's record has not helped his cause to have more World Cup goals, with Portugal only getting to the semi-finals with Ronaldo once in 2006.

Portugal do have a favourable group, but Ronaldo has only scored multiple World Cup goals in a tournament once in five attempts. He netted four in 2018.

England captain Harry Kane was the World Cup golden boot winner eight years ago in Russia and will fancy his chances once again this time around.

For club and country, Kane got 67 goals in 58 games during the 2025-26 season, including the penultimate warm-up match against New Zealand.

Kane may have only scored twice in Qatar last time out, but given his recent form and England's fixtures, he will certainly fancy his chances.

England face Croatia, a very tough test. But their other group games are against Ghana and Panama. Kane scored a hat-trick against Panama in 2018, and Ghana are not the side they once were, failing to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.

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Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

A little more on that challenge from Lionel Messi which could have seen the Argentina star sent off in the first half.

Messi's studs made contact with the calf of Algeria's Aissa Mandi, something we have seen players sent off for in the Premier League.

There was a case for a red card, but while contact was high, the challenge did not really have the necessary force or intensity.

However, Polish referee Szymon Marciniak definitely should have produced the yellow.

But there is one other important stat.

Since Pierluigi Collina took over as the head of referees, not one player has been sent off at the World Cup for serious foul play - otherwise known as a bad challenge.

You have to go back to 2014 - the last World Cup without VAR.

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The performances of Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe lived up to the hype last night as the trio scored themselves into contention for the Golden Boot.

But who has the best chance of getting ahead with their remaining group stage fixtures?

Messi faces Austria and Jordan as Argentina bid to advance from Group J.

Haaland's next chance to extend his goal tally comes against Senegal, while Mbappe will attack Iraq as the talents battle to help their nations advance from the same group.

Then we're nicely set up for the Group I finale, when Haaland and Mbappe will go head to head in Norway v France.

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Some eagle-eyed fans may be wondering why Erling Haaland's shirt said Braut Haaland on the back of it during Norway's win over Iraq overnight. Braut is the surname of his mother.

When first making a name in his football career, the Manchester City goal machine was initially referred to as Erling Braut Haaland during his career, both at Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund.

While he used to be referred to as Braut Haaland regularly in his career, he has worn just Haaland on his shirts at Dortmund and City.

Ahead of the World Cup when asked to say his name for media purposes, Haaland referred to himself as Erling Braut Haaland.

Erling Haaland doesn't hang around when it comes to proving his ability.

He scored hat-tricks on his Champions League and Bundesliga debuts, and hit a double when he played his first Premier League match for Manchester City in 2022.

Last night, he had the chance to show what he can do on football's biggest stage.

And once again, he wasted no time in finding the net for Norway, supercharging his nation's biggest ever World Cup win with a first-half double against Iraq.

If you missed it, you can catch up on the highlights below.

Erling Haaland is 25 years old - going on 26 at the end of July, so not quite the perfect statistical fit for that Golden Boot, but there or thereabouts.

The big caveat that comes with Haaland's candidacy for the top scorer prize is that it depends on 27th-ranked Norway's progress in the tournament.

The Manchester City man is hungry, though, and he's humble. Facing the media after his sparkling World Cup debut last night, he was asked whether he is the best goalscorer in the world.

"I'm up there," he conceded, but pointed out that he was "statistically" not the best.

A few hours later, he paid homage to his more senior World Cup Golden Boot rival with a post shared with his Snapchat followers.

Image source, Snapchat

Well Toryila, history says that the Golden Boot winner will be on the younger side.

The average age of previous winners is 24.7 years old.

Do we have anyone who fits that profile at the 2026 World Cup?

And there's another 'second' prize which Harry Kane could grab at this tournament.

Though it's some way off 38-year-old Lionel Messi's - now at his epic sixth World Cup finals - it is Kane's longevity which has made him the sharp shooter that he is.

Like a fine wine, some might say.

But history says his age works against his chances of winning a second Golden Boot.

Only one player over 30 has won the prize before - Davor Suker, who bagged six as Croatia progressed to the semi-finals at France 1998.

Can 32-year-old Kane, or indeed Messi, show that the veterans have still got it in 2026?

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Lionel Messi's stunning hat-trick has reignited the age-old debate about whether he or his Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo is the better player this morning.

Both have a good chance of becoming the all-time top scorer of World Cup goals, ever. But there is one record that neither player will be able to break at this tournament.

In World Cup history, no player has ever won the Golden Boot more than once.

At the 2026 edition, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe each have a really strong chance of being the first player to claim the prize a historic second time.

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Earlier, we asked you in our poll who you think will win the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup.

As was proved in last night's round of group games, it won't be easy to predict, given that the tournament is so stacked with talent - both familiar faces and emerging bright sparks.

One thing that nearly all past Golden Boot winners have in common is arriving at the tournament with a strong club season behind them.

Here's how our leading candidates for top scorer have performed in their domestic leagues before arriving in the Americas:

Lionel Messi - 14 MLS goals

Kylian Mbappe - 25 La Liga goals

Erling Haaland - 27 Premier League goals

Kai Havertz - 2 Premier League goals

Harry Kane - 36 Bundesliga goals

Cristiano Ronaldo - 30 Saudi Pro League goals

Lionel Messi equalled Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup goal record in the early hours of this morning. However, in some ways, Messi's tally should be expected.

Of the nine players in World Cup history to have 11 or more goals, Messi has made more appearances than any of the others.

Messi's 16 goals have been in 27 appearances, a rate of a goal every 0.62 matches.

No player in the top nine has scored at a slower goals per game rate.

Player, nation, goals and goals per game

1. Miroslav Klose (Germany) 16 goals, 0.67
2. Lionel Messi (Argentina) 16 goals, 0.62
3. Ronaldo (Brazil) 15 goals, 0.79
4. Gerd Muller (Germany) 14 goals, 1.08
5. Kylian Mbappe (France) 14 goals, 0.93
6. Just Fontaine (France) 13 goals, 2.17
7. Pele (Brazil) 12 goals 0.86
8. Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) 11 goals, 2.20
9. Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany) 11 goals, 0.83

While scoring a hat-trick in the opening game for Argentina, Lionel Messi was wearing two different sleeve patches on each of his sleeves.

On his right arm (pictured left) he had the Legacy patch, only worn by players who have appeared at five or more World Cups, this is his sixth.

On his left arm (pictured right), hidden by his captain's armband, he was wearing the Player of the Tournament patch celebrating the Golden Ball which he won twice in 2014 and 2022.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goals record has never felt more under threat.

Lionel Messi has now pulled level with the former Germany striker on 16 goals, while Kylian Mbappe is just two goals behind, on 14, following his brace for France against Senegal.

The 27-year-old is looking like the inevitable heir, considering he is likely to still be playing at the 2030 World Cup, and potentially beyond that.

Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, sits on eight goals and has some catching up to do.

Ronaldo's chances depend on whether Portugal can go deep enough in the tournament to give him the minutes and the matches to achieve it.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker has scored in each of the last five World Cups, with his most goals at a single tournament being four, at Russia 2018.

A group‑stage exit or early knockout round would close the door quickly.

A semi‑final or final run could suddenly make things interesting again, especially with an extra game at this extended tournament.

Can he do it?

As mentioned, Lionel Messi leads the Golden Boot standings after the first round of matches, with three goals.

Stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are in hot pursuit after both bagged a brace in the last round of matches.

Former Golden Boot winner Harry Kane kicks off his campaign tonight when England face Croatia, while a certain Cristiano Ronaldo should make his bow at the 2026 World Cup when his Portugal side take on DR Congo.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's a full rundown of the upcoming matches:

Wednesday, 17 June

• Portugal v Congo DR (18:00 BST)
• England v Croatia (21:00 BST)

Thursday, 18 June

• Ghana v Panama (00:00 BST)
• Uzbekistan v Colombia (03:00 BST)

Lionel Messi escaped punishment and will be available for selection, all being well, for their next game against Austria on Monday.

The Austrians will go into that game on the back of a 3-1 win over Jordan, but will they be able to live with a Messi-inspired Argentina?

Watch the highlights below and judge for yourself...