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
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 is the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and Cape Verde have achieved the feat of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages, with the African nation to face Lionel Messi's Argentina on Friday.
The group stages of the 2026 World Cup are in the books after a thrilling fortnight of action across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Despite a lack of eye-catching fixtures on paper in the new, expanded format, there has been drama aplenty, with all the big names showing up for their respective countries on football's biggest stage.
Harry Kane’s uncharacteristic struggles in front of goal during England's World Cup stalemate with Ghana have been attributed to more than just a bad day at the office. A renowned Ghanaian spiritualist now claims he was the architect behind the captain's misfortune, having placed a hex on the striker to protect his nation's interests.
Anthony Gordon has faced heavy criticism for his underwhelming performance during England's goalless World Cup draw with Ghana on Tuesday. Pundits have slammed the winger's lack of impact, even questioning his recent lucrative transfer to Barcelona. Former players believe Newcastle are the real winners of the summer deal after watching him struggle on the international stage.