Al Majd SC Panoramica

An expanded 48-team World Cup has led to some unbalanced groups. Combining outright dual-forecast bets could be a smart strategy.

Vinicius Jr promised that he would do it "10x" if he had to. Those were his words after he did not win the 2024 Ballon d'Or despite a stellar individual season. In fairness, the Brazilian had a fair claim to the trophy - Rodri may have deserved it, but few would have complained if Vinicius got his hands on the Golden Ball.

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

The 2026 World Cup is finally underway as all 48 teams begin to fight it out for the universally coveted trophy. While the collective prize is the main objective for all competitors, some will be hoping to make their claim as the best player of the entire tournament. But who are the top contenders and who is leading the race for the prestigious Golden Ball?