With the World Cup kicking off in November (and now well under way!), there is plenty of debate about who will be the top scorer in the competition. Among the best picks are some of world football’s biggest names. These players have produced on the biggest stages in the sport and will be desperate to fire their nations to success.
Harry Kane
England captain Harry Kane is the current World Cup Golden Boot holder. The Tottenham striker scored six goals in the Russia 2018 World Cup and he has continued to impress at club and national level since.
This season, Kane has made an impressive start with Tottenham, scoring nine goals in 10 appearances. In addition, the Englishman has scored 32 goals at international level since he won the Golden Boot in 2018.
However, Kane’s chances of further individual success will depend on England’s creativity in the 2022 World Cup. In the 2022/23 Nations League, the Three Lions only scored four goals in six matches and failed to score in four.
Kylian Mbappe
In the 2018 World Cup, Kylian Mbappe was another standout performer. Aged just 19, the French forward struck four goals as Les Bleus went all the way and lifted the title.
Mbappe has developed in the last four years to become one of the most lethal goal scorers in world football. Just before his achievements in the previous World Cup, Mbappe joined Paris St Germain in 2017. He has been a key part of the club’s success in recent years, scoring 183 goals in 231 appearances.
With such an impressive record in front of the goal, it’s understandable that bookies are picking him to be the golden boot winner of the tournament, but punters who know how unpredictable high-level football can be might alternatively be trying their luck at a live casino UK instead.
Mbappe has also continued to be one of France’s best recent performers, striking 20 goals in 35 appearances since Russia 2018. But, two goals from five matches in a disappointing Nations League campaign for France leaves some questions marks about Mbappe’s recent form at international level.
Karim Benzema
After missing out on the 2018 World Cup, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema will want to make an impression in Qatar 2022. He’s had a solid run for Les Bleus recently, seeing him net 10 in his last 13.
At club level, Benzema was one of the top-performing strikers in the top European leagues in 2021/22. The Frenchman scored 44 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions, including 15 in 12 in the Champions League.
Neymar
Brazilian superstar Neymar will play his third World Cup in Qatar. The forward’s consistency to score goals for club and country makes him a standout pick for the Golden Boot.
In the previous two World Cups, Neymar scored six goals in 10 matches. In addition, the Paris St Germain striker netted four goals in four matches in the most recent round of international friendlies. Goals that took his overall international tally to 75 in 121 games.
Added to his nine goals in 11 for PSG this season, Neymar could be a serious threat at the 2022 World Cup for a talented Brazil side.