The 2026 World Cup is well underway and so is the race for the prestigious Golden Boot - the award given to the tournament's top scorer. There's a long and winding road to be navigated as 48 nations battle for the top prize, but which star will take home the illustrious award? Here, GOAL tracks the tournament's most prolific stars.
Former Arsenal and Sweden midfielder Stefan Schwarz has told GOAL that while Viktor Gyokeres may not be a “classy attacker”, he is finding his feet in the Premier League - as a title winner - and should be closer to his “best” during the 2026-27 campaign. The powerful frontman enjoyed a productive debut campaign at Emirates Stadium, but continues to see more forwards linked with big-money moves to north London.
France may have booked their place in the World Cup round of 16 with a dominant victory over Sweden, but the post-match celebrations have been marred by a seemingly frosty encounter between Rayan Cherki and Didier Deschamps. The Manchester City playmaker was captured on camera appearing to blank his manager at the final whistle, raising questions about the harmony within the Les Bleus camp.
Kylian Mbappe has officially moved past Brazilian legend Ronaldo in the World Cup history books after a masterclass performance in France’s 3-0 demolition of Sweden. The Real Madrid superstar netted twice to ensure Les Bleus booked their place in the round of 16 in emphatic fashion.
France cruised into the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Sweden on Tuesday, inspired by a Michael Olise masterclass. At his dazzling best in New Jersey, the Bayern Munich sensation was involved in absolutely everything as a Kylian Mbappe brace and Bradley Barcola strike ensured Les Bleus progressed from the round of 32 at a canter.
France manager Didier Deschamps has insisted he is not concerned by William Saliba's ongoing back injury ahead of their World Cup round of 32 clash against Sweden. The Arsenal defender admitted he is not playing at 100 per cent and has been forced to skip training sessions to manage the issue, but Deschamps believes the centre-back remains fully prepared to anchor Les Bleus' defence in New York.
Comprehensive match preview of France vs Sweden at the World Cup 2026. We talk tactics, team news, and more ahead of this Round of 32 clash in East Rutherford.
Alexander Isak remains a “magical player”, former Sweden international Stefan Schwarz has told GOAL, with the Liverpool striker being told what he needs in order to prove as much at Anfield. With a record-breaking price tag hanging around his neck, the former Newcastle frontman endured an injury-ravaged debut campaign on Merseyside that delivered just four goals.
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has broken his silence regarding his future at the club following reports that the club could use him as a makeweight to sign Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez. The Sweden international enjoyed a title-winning debut season in north London but now finds his place under scrutiny as Mikel Arteta looks to evolve his attacking options.
Four nations made debuts at the 2026 World Cup, with Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan gracing the grandest stage in international football for the first time. It is the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and Cape Verde have achieved the feat of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages, with the African nation to face Lionel Messi's Argentina on Friday.
Sweden manager Graham Potter has revealed his excitement ahead of a dream World Cup round-of-32 encounter against heavyweights France in New Jersey. The former Chelsea coach acknowledged the immense challenge of facing a star-studded Bleus squad but insists his side are looking forward to orchestrating a massive tournament shock.
Sweden have secured their place in the knockout stages of the World Cup for the eighth time in their history following a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Japan. However, goalscorer Anthony Elanga has made the surprising admission that he was completely unaware a point was sufficient to see the Blue and Yellow through to the round of 32.
Netherlands defender Denzel Dumfries firmly believes the Oranje have enough quality to win the 2026 World Cup following their dominant 5-1 victory over Sweden. The 30-year-old right-back insisted that confidence and energy are growing within Ronald Koeman's squad as they eye an unforgettable tournament run.
Cody Gakpo inspired the Netherlands to a statement 5-1 victory over Sweden, leaving Liverpool fans wondering why they don't see this version of the winger more often. The 27-year-old was the architect of a Dutch masterclass in Houston, proving once again that he is a completely different beast when wearing the famous Oranje shirt.
Netherlands secured a spectacular 5-1 victory over Sweden in their second World Cup group-stage match on Saturday night, but the triumph was clouded by significant fitness scares for Virgil van Dijk. Liverpool's captain revealed a frightening moment during the clash where he temporarily lost feeling in his upper leg following a heavy blow to the hip.
Ronald Koeman has offered a mixed review of his Netherlands side following their dominant 5-1 victory over Sweden at the World Cup. While the Oranje boss was delighted with the impact of Brian Brobbey, he insisted there are still significant areas for improvement within the team.
Denzel Dumfries has called for a significant shift in the Netherlands' team culture, urging his international team-mates to adopt a more confrontational approach. The wing-back believes the squad must learn from the high-pressure environment of the Inter dressing room to ensure success on the world stage.
Former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart has issued a formal apology following a wave of backlash over offensive comments made during the 2026 World Cup. The ex-Tottenham and Real Madrid midfielder was working as a pundit for a Dutch broadcaster when he made a controversial remark regarding the appearance of Japan’s players after their 2-2 draw with the Oranje.