2022 World Cup Golden Boot Contenders, Favourites and Outsiders

Fans from 32 different nations will all hope that their country’s captain can be lifting the 2022 World Cup trophy in December. The road to the final, though, will likely be traversed by the team that can find the back of the net with regularity. The top-scorer at the World Cup receives the coveted Golden Boot award – and here’s just some of the penalty-box poachers and goalscoring superstars who could be leading the scoring charts in Qatar.

Who is the favourite to win the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot?

England captain Harry Kane was the Golden Boot winner in Russia four years ago, as the ‘Three Lions’ reached the semi-final thanks to his calm finishing. Kane is 8/1 to retain the Golden Boot award in Qatar, thanks in part to his predatory ability in the box and from the penalty spot. Kane is just a few goals short of breaking the record as England’s all-time goalscorer and will have his sights set on doing it at this tournament as part of leading England to World Cup glory.

Just behind Kane is the PSG superstar, Kylian Mbappe. Mbappe electrified the 2018 World Cup as France went on to lift the trophy, and the explosive young attacker has only got better since then. Mbappe is 9/1 to finish as top-scorer as part of a strong-looking France side in 2022.

Another Frenchman, Karim Benzema, is 10/1 to add the Golden Boot to the Ballon d’Or award he received a few months ago. Benzema has been unplayable in the last year and if he can carry that form into the World Cup then there will be few defenders who can stop him.

What are the odds-on Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Neymar to win the Golden Boot?

Three of the greatest players in the world might be playing in their last World Cup in Qatar: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar are all now in their 30s and this could be their last chance to win the biggest honour of all for their country. Record-breaker Ronaldo is 14/1 to finish as the World Cup’s top-scorer, while Lionel Messi’s Argentina reached the final in 2014 and is priced at 12/1.

Neymar is the youngest of the trio and will feel he has a point to prove after Brazil disappointed in the last World Cup with a quarter-final exit. Neymar plays like a man possessed for his country and is 12/1 to be the Golden Boot winner.

Who else could win the Golden Boot?

Golden Boot winners are often surprise names: the short format of the World Cup means that filling your goalscoring boots in the group stage can sometimes be enough to secure the award. James Rodriguez, for example, was a Golden Boot winner in 2014 despite his Colombia side not progressing beyond the quarter-final. In two of the last four World Cups, five goals have been enough to win the top-scorer award.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina team-mate Lautaro Martinez top-scored for his nation during qualifying, and is 25/1 to win the Golden Boot. Chelsea fans know all about the brilliant German attacker Kai Havertz, who is 33/1, and Bayern Munich fans will be expecting big things from Sadio Mane who leads the line for AFCON champions Senegal and is 66/1 to be top-scorer.

England aren’t a one-man team when it comes to goals and Raheem Sterling showed at Euro 2020 that he is a man for the big stage. Sterling is 33/1 to win the Golden Boot, while Poland’s Robert Lewandowski – who improbably is yet to score a World Cup goal in his career – is 50/1 to make amends by finishing as top-scorer.

Harry Kane

Club: Spurs

National team: England

International caps: 75

International goals: 51

World Cup 2022 Qualification goals: 12

England captain Harry Kane is 8/1 to retain the Golden Boot award in Qatar. During qualification for Qatar 2022, Kane hit a remarkable 12 goals, including hat-tricks in back-to-back games against Albania and San Marino.

Kylian Mbappe

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

National team: France

International caps: 59

International goals: 28

World Cup 2022 Qualification goals: 5

Kylian Mbappe finished joint-second behind Harry Kane in the goalscoring ranks in Russia, hitting the net four times but causing constant problems for the opposition.

The former Golden Boy winner is a four-time top-scorer in Ligue 1 with PSG, hitting 28 goals along with 17 assists last season. Mbappe is 9/1 to light up Qatar by finishing as Golden Boot winner.

Karim Benzema

Club: Real Madrid

National team: France

International caps: 97

International goals: 37

World Cup 2022 Qualification goals: 3

It’s 15 years since Karim Benzema made his international debut for France, but the experienced striker – he turns 35 the day after the World Cup final – is only improving with age. Benzema was awarded the prestigious Ballon d’Or in October of this year in recognition of his phenomenal recent form. He won his fifth Champions League title in 2022, firing a remarkable 15 goals in the competition, and recently overtook the great Raul as Real Madrid’s second-highest all-time goalscorer. Benzema is 10/1 to add the Golden Boot to his bulging trophy collection.

Neymar

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

National team: France

International caps: 121

International goals: 75

World Cup 2022 Qualification goals: 8

Brazil’s main goalscoring threat, Neymar trails only the legendary Pele in terms of goals for his international side. He made his debut at 18 and was soon wowing global audiences with his eye-popping skill on the ball and outstanding finishing abilities. Neymar was in blistering form in qualifying and is 12/1 to finish as the Golden Boot winner in Qatar.

Lionel Messi

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

National team: Argentina

International caps: 164

International goals: 90

2022 World Cup 2022 Qualification goals: 7

Often referred to as the ‘GOAT’ – the greatest of all time – Lionel Messi is one of the most famous names in world sport. The diminutive forward made his competitive debut with Barcelona at the age of just 17 – now, almost two decades later, he’s achieved pretty much everyone the game has to offer.

Two things have so far eluded Messi: a World Cup win (although he reached the final in 2014) and a Golden Boot trophy. At the age of 35, this might be the last chance we get to feast our eyes on one of the most talented players to ever lace up a pair of football boots. Will Messi sign off by finishing as top-scorer and firing Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar? The GOAT is 12/1 to bag that Golden Boot award.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Club: Manchester United

National team: Portugal

International caps: 191

International goals: 117

World Cup 2022 Qualification goals: 6

One of the greatest of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo has already inspired Portugal to international glory once before. In 2016, his leadership – and goals – saw the team triumph in the Euros, although Ronaldo himself spent much of the final on the sidelines urging his team on after an injury.

Ronaldo’s international record is simply staggering. He holds the all-time record for men’s international goals, with over a century to his name, and isn’t finished yet. This will almost certainly be Ronaldo’s last World Cup, and he is 14/1 to add the Golden Boot award to his many, many trophies and accolades.