The intrigue heats up! Messi catches up with Mbappé, while Haaland and Kane are closing in

Lionel Messi has drawn level with Kylian Mbappé in total goal involvements at the 2026 World Cup.

Details: The 39-year-old Argentina forward scored and provided an assist in the round of 16 clash against Egypt, a thrilling contest that ended 3-2 in favor of the Albiceleste.

• See also: Switzerland vs Colombia: the most underrated round of 16 match?

Messi now boasts 9 goal contributions at the tournament: 8 goals and 1 assist. That puts him level with Kylian Mbappé, who has tallied 7 goals and 2 assists for France.

Against Egypt, Leo first set up Cristian Romero for the opener before finding the net himself. That decisive impact proved crucial for Argentina, who snatched victory and advanced to the quarterfinals.

The race for the Golden Boot at World Cup 2026 is reaching fever pitch. Messi and Mbappé are neck and neck atop the goals plus assists chart, but Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are not far behind—both have registered 7 goal involvements each.

Reminder: This tournament is already a landmark for Messi: not only did he break his personal World Cup goal record, but he’s also firmly in the hunt for the title of top scorer at the 2026 World Cup.