Explained: Who will win Golden Boot if both Messi and Mbappe end up scoring same number of goals at FIFA World Cup 2022?

Issuing a late challenge to frontrunners Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud in the race for the prestigious Golden Boot, Argentina’s Julian Alvarez netted a stunning brace against Luka Modric-led Croatia at the FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-finals. Alvarez’s goal-scoring exploits paved the way for the Messi-inspired Argentina to enter the summit clash of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

Messi-led Argentina hammered Croatia 3-0 to enter its sixth World Cup final. Alvarez, who has been a revelation for Argentina at the FIFA World Cup, started his campaign as a substitute for the Messi-led side in Qatar. Alvarez has netted four goals for Argentina and the 22-year-old is now level on goals with veteran French striker Giroud in the current Golden Boot standings.

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Interestingly, Giroud has failed to come up with a single assist in the Qatar event and France’s all-time leading goal scorer in men’s football has played for 383 minutes at the FIFA World Cup 2022. Argentina’s Alvarez (0 assists) played for 364 minutes in the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup. Giroud’s teammate Mbappe is the joint top-scorer at the FIFA World Cup 2022.

France’s blue-eyed boy Mbappe has scored five goals so far at the Qatar World Cup. Mbappe is tied on goals with his Paris Saint Germain (PSG) teammate and Argentina captain Messi (5) in the Golden Boot standings at the FIFA World Cup 2022. What happens if the two leading goal scorers finish level on goals for the Golden Boot title in Qatar?

If two or more players end up scoring the same number of goals at the FIFA World Cup 2022, then the number of assists provided by the candidates will be considered to decide the winner of the Golden Boot. Suppose there is no separating the players even after the first tiebreak (number of assists). In that case, the Golden Boot will be awarded to the player, who has taken the fewest number of minutes to complete his tally of goals at the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Argentina’s all-time leading goal scorer Messi is leading the Golden Boot race with 5 goals and 3 assists to his name at the Qatar World Cup. Messi is followed by Mbappe, who has scored the same amount of goals but the Frenchman has 2 assists to his name. Messi has played for 570 minutes at the Qatar World Cup. Messi’s PSG teammate Mbappe has played for 477 minutes for the two-time world champions in Qatar.