Lioli Overview

The 2026 World Cup is over, and so is the race for the prestigious Golden Boot - the award given to the tournament's top scorer. With the expanded 48-nation tournament coming to a close, following a month of thrilling action in North America, which star has taken home the illustrious award? Here, GOAL lists the tournament's most prolific performers.

Egypt’s coaching staff utilised meticulous modern analytical methods to mastermind their historic World Cup knockout triumph over Australia in Dallas. Minutes before the penalty shootout commenced, players gathered around a laptop screen to study specific footage of Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe facing Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan.

Mohamed Salah successfully executed an audacious Panenka penalty to guide Egypt into the World Cup last 16 following a dramatic shoot-out victory against Australia. The talismanic forward held his nerve from 12 yards after a tense 1-1 draw in Dallas, scripting an iconic piece of footballing history for his triumphant North African nation.

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 was the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and Cape Verde achieved the feat of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages, before succumbing to Lionel Messi's Argentina in a classic.