Zulia Overview

The 2026 World Cup is underway and so is the race for the prestigious Golden Boot - the award given to the tournament's top scorer. There's a long road ahead as 48 nations battle for the top prize, but which star will take home the illustrious award? Here are GOAL's predicted candidates for the prize as we keep track of the tournament's most prolific stars

Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan has delivered a blunt critique of Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming the legendary forward is currently a hindrance to Portugal’s World Cup ambitions. Despite leading his nation into the knockout stages, the 41-year-old’s performances have sparked debate among pundits and former colleagues alike.

James Rodriguez has heaped praise on his former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo after the pair reunited during a goalless World Cup group-stage match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami. The Colombia captain expressed his deep admiration for Ronaldo, highlighting their enduring friendship and marvelling at the incredible physical condition of the Portuguese superstar at 41 years old.

The group stage of the 2026 World Cup came to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday, as Austria scored a 96th-minute equaliser against Algeria to qualify for the knockout stage while simultaneously eliminating Iran, who had been set to progress as one of the tournament's third-placed finishers. Elsewhere, Lionel Messi came off the bench to help Argentina maintain their 100 percent winning record with a 3-1 victory over Jordan and, in doing so, the No.10 extended his record-breaking goals tally at the finals to 19.