World Cup Third-Place Match Goals Still Count for the Golden Boot!

What Is the Big News?

Goals scored by players in the World Cup’s third place play-off will count towards a player’s goal tally and the race for the Golden Boot.

Think of the Golden Boot like a prize for the player who scores the most goals in the whole tournament (like a cookie jar for the kid who collects the most cookies). The third-place play-off is a match between the two teams that lost in the semi-finals. Even though it’s not the big final, any goals scored there still count!

Important Point: Every goal in the third-place play-off matters for the Golden Boot race — it is not a "meaningless" match for top scorers.

Who Can Still Win the Golden Boot?

Because goals in the third-place match count, some star players can still win the Golden Boot even though their teams are not in the final.

• Kylian Mbappe (France)
• Ousmane Dembele (France)
• Harry Kane (England)
• Jude Bellingham (England)

France and England lost in the semi-finals, but they play each other in the third-place play-off. So these four still have a chance to win the Golden Boot at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Current Goal Scoreboard

With only two matches left (the third-place match and the final), here are the top scorers:

• Mbappe – 8 goals (tied for most)
• Lionel Messi – 8 goals (leads the race because he has 1 more assist than Mbappe)
  • Assist = passing the ball so a teammate can score
• Erling Haaland (Norway) – 7 goals (but out of the tournament, so can’t score more)
• Bellingham – 6 goals
• Kane – 6 goals
• Dembele – 5 goals
• Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) – 5 goals

So far, seven players have scored five or more goals.

Upcoming Matches

1. Saturday: England vs France (third-place play-off)
2. Sunday: Spain vs Argentina (the final)

Why the Third-Place Match Is a Big Deal

The Golden Boot race might be decided by who plays in that England vs France match.

• If coaches pick their best players, stars like Mbappe, Kane, Bellingham, and Dembele can add more goals.
• In 2018, England’s boss Gareth Southgate changed 5 players for the third-place match. Kane started but didn’t score, and still won the Golden Boot that year.

History Says the Match Matters

A total of seven past Golden Boot winners scored in the third-place play-off:

• Needed those goals to win:
  • Thomas Muller (Germany, 2010)
  • Davor Suker (Croatia, 1998)
  • Salvatore Schillaci (Italy, 1990)
  • Leonidas (Brazil, 1938)
• Scored but would have won anyway:
  • Grzegorz Lato (Poland, 1974)
  • Eusebio (Portugal, 1966)
  • Just Fontaine (France, 1958)

Important Point: In 4 of those 7 cases, the third-place goals were the reason they won the Golden Boot!

Summary

Goals in the World Cup third-place play-off count for the Golden Boot. Mbappe, Dembele, Kane, and Bellingham can still win it in 2026 even after semi-final exits. Mbappe and Messi lead with 8 goals, but Messi is ahead on assists. The England vs France match could decide the winner, and history shows third-place goals have often been decisive.

FAQ

Q: What is the Golden Boot?
A: It is the award given to the player who scores the most goals in the World Cup tournament.

Q: Does the third-place match really count for the Golden Boot?
A: Yes! Goals scored in that match are added to a player’s total, just like any other match.

Q: Why is Messi ahead of Mbappe if both have 8 goals?
A: Because Messi has one more assist (a pass that leads to a goal), which breaks the tie.

Q: Can Haaland still win the Golden Boot?
A: No, because Norway left the tournament in the quarter-finals, so he cannot score any more goals.

Q: Have third-place goals decided the Golden Boot before?
A: Yes, in 4 of 7 past cases where winners scored in that match, those goals were what won them the award.