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Lionel Scaloni has defended Argentina's attacking variety ahead of their World Cup knockout opener against tournament surprise package Cape Verde in Miami. The manager insists he remains completely unconcerned by his talismanic captain's heavy goalscoring burden, despite the veteran forward netting six goals during the group stage.

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.

The 2026 World Cup is underway as those still in contention fight it out for the universally coveted trophy. While the collective prize is the main objective for all competitors, some are already making their claim as the best player of the entire tournament. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are currently the top candidates, but they face intense competition as we go further into the knockout rounds.

Enzo Fernandez's representative, Javier Pastore, has admitted the Chelsea midfielder's camp is exploring a move away from Stamford Bridge. While no deal is in place, the Argentine also addressed the player's links with Real Madrid and insisted the player remains fully focused on the 2026 World Cup.