World Cup

[monks data]

World Cup | Final

Dec 18, 2022 at 3pm UK

Lusail Iconic Stadium

Argentina
3 - 3
France

Messi (23' pen., 108'), di Maria (36')
Fernandez (45+7'), Acuna (90+8'), Paredes (114'), Montiel (116'), Martinez (126')

FT
(aet)

Mbappe (80' pen., 81', 118' pen.)
Rabiot (55'), Thuram (87'), Giroud (90+5')

Argentina win 4-2 on penalties

World Cup Golden Boot race: Messi, Mbappe, Alvarez, Giroud all in contention

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 16 December 2022

Ahead of Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and France, Sports Mole looks at how the Golden Boot race is shaping up, with four of the finalists still in contention.

Either Argentina or France will be crowned World Cup champions on Sunday when the two international heavyweights face off in the biggest game in football at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar.

France are bidding to become the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962, whereas Argentina are looking to lift the trophy for the first time since their Diego Maradona-inspired success in 1986.

While getting their hands on the most coveted prize in the sport is by far and away the biggest target for both teams on Sunday, it is not the only award up for grabs, with the Golden Ball for best player and Golden Boot for top scorer also still hanging in the balance.

Tantalisingly, the front-runners for both of those awards are all involved in Sunday's showpiece too, and the course of the match could dictate whether Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe or someone else goes home with more than 'just' the World Cup trophy.

Those two are the front-runners for the Golden Ball and also the Golden Boot, but it is the latter award which promises to come to the most intriguing conclusion this weekend.

The player who scores the most goals will be awarded the trophy, and if that is level then it goes down to assists, and if that is still level then the prize goes to the player who has played the fewest minutes.

Here, Sports Mole looks at the current standings in the race to win the Golden Boot and follow in the footsteps of the likes of Eusebio, Gerd Muller, Mario Kempes, Gary Lineker and Ronaldo.

1. LIONEL MESSI (ARGENTINA)

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their first goal on December 13, 2022 © Reuters

Goals: 5
Assists: 3
Minutes played: 570

The prospect of winning the one trophy that has so far eluded Lionel Messi in his legendary career is by far and away the biggest carrot available on Sunday, but the 35-year-old also currently leads the way in the Golden Boot race.

Messi has only failed to score in one match in the World Cup so far - the 2-0 victory over Poland in the group stage - having broken the deadlock against Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Australia and Croatia.

Three of his goals have come from the penalty spot, but it is his other two - against Mexico and Australia - which were the most memorable as he made the most of a rare bit of space to unlock stubborn defences and set his side en route to crucial victories in both matches.

Messi is ahead in the current rankings by virtue of having one more assist to his name than his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Mbappe, that coming in sensational style too as he turned Josko Gvardiol inside out before teeing up Julian Alvarez for the third goal in the semi-final.

2. KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE)

Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring for France on November 26, 2022 © Reuters

Goals: 5
Assists: 2
Minutes played: 477

Just behind Messi by the narrowest of margins is Mbappe, who got off to a flyer at this World Cup but has since seen his scoring rate slow as the tournament has progressed.

The PSG star scored three times in France's opening two games before only coming on as a sub past the hour mark in the defeat to Tunisia, and then netted two more goals in the last 16 against Poland to steer the defending champions into the quarter-finals.

Mbappe was largely stifled by England but still managed to help his side progress, and while he once again drew a blank against Morocco in the semi-finals, both of their goals in that game stemmed from deflected Mbappe shots.

The winger has two assists to his name to leave him one behind Messi as things stand, but the fact that he has played fewer minutes than his clubmate means that one assist on Sunday, coupled with a blank from Messi, should be enough for him to scoop this award.

3. JULIAN ALVAREZ (ARGENTINA)

Argentina's Julian Alvarez scores their second goal on December 13, 2022 © Reuters

Goals: 4
Assists: 0
Minutes played: 364

Having not started either of Argentina's first two games at this World Cup, Julian Alvarez has since emerged as one of the breakthrough stars and thrust himself into Golden Boot contention with his semi-final brace against Croatia.

The second of those goals was a simple finish owing a lot to the genius of Messi beforehand, but the first was a stunning solo effort which, while laced with a slice of luck, showcased qualities which suggest Alvarez may well be worthy of following in a long list of great Argentine centre-forwards, including Mario Kempes, Gabriel Batistuta and Sergio Aguero.

The Manchester City man's lack of assists means that he will likely need at least another brace in the final to overtake Messi and Mbappe, but having played the fewest minutes of any of the contenders, such a feat could stand him in good stead.

4. OLIVIER GIROUD (FRANCE)

France forward Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring against England at the World Cup on December 10, 2022 © Reuters

Goals: 4
Assists: 0
Minutes played: 383

Many would have felt that Karim Benzema's return to the international fold may have spelled the end of Olivier Giroud's time as France's main centre-forward, and the AC Milan striker may not have been handed much playing time in Qatar had the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner not pulled out through injury on the eve of the tournament.

However, Giroud has taken full advantage of that and, having failed to have a single shot on target as France won the trophy in 2018, he now has four goals to his name in 2022.

The evergreen 36-year-old netted twice against Australia in the opening game and also opened the scoring against Poland in the last 16, but it is his winner against England in a tight quarter-final which will be looked back on as his most important goal in Qatar to date.

Add to that the fact that Giroud has also surpassed the great Thierry Henry as France's all-time leading goalscorer at this tournament, and the man once labelled a "go-kart" compared to an "F1 car" by Benzema has once again proven that he is capable of performing on the grandest stage of them all.

That said, Giroud is the outsider to claim the Golden Boot this weekend, as he has played more minutes than Alvarez and would likely need to score twice while hoping that Messi, Mbappe and Alvarez all blank.