Getty/GOALHere at GOAL, we like to think we know a thing or two about the beautiful game, and so we've asked our team of writers and editors in both the UK and the U.S. to make their predictions for the tournament. From the dark horses to the biggest disappointments, we've got you covered on what to expect from the the biggest World Cup ever staged.
First up, we asked our team to predict who will win the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer - here's what they had to say...
GettyMark Doyle: I’m tempted to go with Cristiano Ronaldo, given he could have the Golden Boot in the bag after two games, against DR Congo and Uzbekistan, but I’ve been burned before by the Portugal captain, who let me down badly at Euro 2024 by failing to score a single goal! So, while I believe Kylian Mbappe will usurp Miroslav Klose as the World Cup’s all-time leading goal-scorer this summer, I think Harry Kane will win his second Golden Boot in much the same manner as he won his first: by stat-padding against Panama!
Getty ImagesKrishan Davis: It’s difficult to look past Kylian Mbappe for this one. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s powers are on the wane, and the Frenchman has the added motivation of potentially sending multiple records tumbling - including becoming the tournament’s all-time record goal-scorer. Harry Kane could be a threat, but given how tired he looked at Euro 2024, I think Mbappe has the edge, especially after sitting out a number of weeks towards the end of the season through injury.
Getty ImagesAlex Labidou: Golden Boot winners tend to do most of their damage in the group stages, and while there are always exceptions to the rule, of the big contenders for this award, Argentina have two games, against Jordan and Algeria, where they should rack up goals. That’ll help Julian Alvarez build an unassailable lead.
Getty ImagesStephen Darwin: The jury’s still out as to whether this is England’s year to finally get over the line at the World Cup, but when it comes to the Golden Boot, it feels like Harry Kane is the man to beat. The Three Lions should score plenty in the group phase, with Kane, crucially, on penalty duty as well. Should Thomas Tuchel’s men go deep in the competition, the Bayern Munich goal sensation will have undoubtedly racked up the goals.
GettyChris Burton: France should go close again, meaning that Kylian Mbappe will get the chance to fill his boots. History is there to be made by Mbappe as he aims to move above and beyond Olivier Giroud as Les Bleus’ all-time leading scorer. Nobody has ever won two World Cup Golden Boots, so why can’t Real Madrid’s ‘Galactico’ No.10 be the first to achieve that feat? If he starts to fire early, then Didier Deschamps’ side will take some stopping.
Getty ImagesTom Hindle: The obvious answer is probably Kylian Mbappe, the best goal-scorer on the team that is most likely to win the whole competition. But let’s go for Erling Haaland. The Manchester City man had a bad season, and still scored more goals than anyone else in the Premier League. If he scores loads early and Norway manage an upset or two, his goal tally will be scary - and just enough to hold off Mbappe’s.
(C)Getty ImagesAmee Ruszkai: It’s hard to look past Harry Kane after the season he’s just had for Bayern Munich. There’s no better goal-scorer on the planet right now than the England captain, and as well as a decent group-stage draw that should allow him to lay a decent foundation for a Golden Boot charge, the Three Lions should also go far in the tournament. Kane will be the focal point of it all and has the ability to cope with that pressure to deliver plenty in front of goal.
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Getty ImagesPeter McVitie: After finishing as top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League, Kylian Mbappe will be fired up to lead France to another World Cup final. He remains a consistent scorer for the national team - he has eight goals in his last nine for Les Bleus - and heads into the tournament with the support of a group of players who know how to feed him, as well as a coach with complete faith in the captain.
Getty ImagesTom Maston: He might not be the sexiest name, but Mikel Oyarzabal has a real shot at earning himself the Golden Boot. Spain kick-off their tournament against two of the weaker sides in the competition, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, while their third group-stage opponent, Uruguay, shipped five goals to the United States not to long ago. Oyarzabal - who takes La Roja's penalties, it must be noted - has the chance to fill his boots against some ropey defences after enjoying the best goal-scoring season of his career with Real Sociedad. Then, when Lamine Yamal returns from injury, the man who scored the winning goal in the Euro 2024 final will be able to benefit from the Barcelona wonderkid's creativity through the knockouts. It's amazing anyone picked anyone else...
Getty ImagesRyan Tolmich: Kylian Mbappe is obviously a contender to win the Golden Boot, and if he does, he might just break the World Cup goal record in the process. With two final appearances in the final already, as well as the 2022 Golden Boot and, of course, that 2018 triumph on his resume, Mbappe is already one of the World Cup greats. If he can add a second Golden Boot this summer, his legacy will be solidified - and he should embrace those stakes after a rough year in Madrid.