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Kylian Mbappe insisted there is no personal battle with Lionel Messi despite the pair continuing to climb the World Cup scoring charts. The France captain scored twice in a 3-0 win over Iraq to move level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals, while France secured their place in the knockout stages with a second straight victory.

Lionel Messi confessed to feeling "very angry" after uncharacteristically missing an early spot-kick during Argentina's 2-0 World Cup victory over Austria. However, the legendary forward quickly recovered his composure in Dallas, netting a brilliant double to officially become the highest goalscorer in the history of the tournament.

Argentina international Julian Alvarez has rocked Atletico Madrid by publicly demanding a transfer away from the Metropolitano Stadium this summer. The prolific forward expressed his desire to move on, as Catalan giants Barcelona position themselves to secure his signature ahead of several other elite European suitors.

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