Overview
- Lionel Messi scored twice on Monday to reach 18 career World Cup goals, surpassing Miroslav Klose to become the competition’s all-time leading scorer.
- Messi has five goals from Argentina’s first two games and his brace against Austria secured Argentina’s place in the last 32 and top spot in Group J.
- Kylian Mbappé (16 career World Cup goals) and Erling Haaland (four in this tournament) remain immediate challengers, with Mbappé setting a record for multi-goal World Cup matches while publicly downplaying the rivalry.
- Prediction and betting markets reacted to Messi’s start by materially raising his Golden Boot odds and increasing trading activity, reflecting growing market confidence in his chances.
- The expanded 48-team format and a high early goals-per-game rate mean scoring totals are volatile, so how far each contender advances in the knockout rounds will be decisive for the Golden Boot and for Messi’s final tally.