The 2022 FIFA World Cup features 32 nations competing in the biggest football event in Qatar, the first World Cup ever to be held in the Middle East. This year marks the final edition of the tournament with a field of 32 nations – that number is expected to increase to 48 for the 2026 World Cup, which will have venues in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
This year’s Copa Mundial is different for several reasons, including the dates (due to Qatar’s intense summer heat, the schedule has been moved from November to December instead of its traditional summer schedule). But as always, the event features the world’s best footballing nations vying for global glory as well as individual awards for the best players, including the coveted award for attacking players: the Golden Boot.
In the latest iteration of the World Cup, England Harry Kane, also a star for Premier League side Tottenham, won the award with his six goals, which likely helped soften the blow from the Three Lions losing 2-0 to Belgium in the Champions League game. third place. One of the best storylines to watch at this year’s World Cup is the swan song for two of the game’s biggest stars: Argentina Lionel Messi and Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo.
Neither player has ever won the Golden Boot and neither side has won the World Cup during their tenure, but Messi is 90 minutes behind both. Defending champions France have contenders for the award, including Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud.
For more on the latest Golden Boot standings, odds and predictions throughout the tournament, follow ProSoccerTalk and NBC Sports Edge.
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What is the Golden Boot?
The Golden Boot is the award given to the top scorer of each edition of the World Cup. If, at the end of the tournament, two or more players are tied at the top of the list with the same number of goals, the prize will go to the player with the most goals without penalty, and if they are still tied, it will be go to the player with the most assists. Although there has always been a top scorer in the tournament, the specific award has been given since 1982. It was known as the “Golden Boot” until it was rechristened in 2010.
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Who are the top scorers at the 2022 World Cup?
1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 5 (leads the tiebreaker with 3 assists against Mbappe’s 2)
2. Kylian Mbappe (France) – 5
3. Olivier Giroud (France) – 4
4. Julian Alvarez (Argentina) – 4
5. Marcus Rashford (England) – 3
6. Alvaro Morata (Spain) – 3
7. Enner Valencia (Ecuador) – 3
8. Bukayo Saka (England) – 3
9. Richarlison (Brazil) – 3
10. Goncalo Ramos (Portugal) – 3
11. Cody Gakpo (Netherlands) – 3
12. Mahdi Taremi (Iran) – 2
13. Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) – 2
14. Mohammed Kudus (Ghana) – 2
15. Cho Gue-Sung (South Korea) – 2
16. Breel Embolo (Switzerland) – 2
17. Salem Al Dawsari (Saudi Arabia) – 2
18. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Serbia) – 2
19. Kai Havertz (Germany) – 2
20. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon) – 2
21. Niclas Fullkrug (Germany) – 2
22. Ritsu Doan (Japan) – 2
23. Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Uruguay) – 2
24. Andrej Kramaric (Croatia) – 2
25. Robert Lewandowski (Poland) – 2
26. Ferran Torres (Spain) – 2
27. Wout Weghorst (Netherlands) – 2
28. Rafael Leao (Portugal) – 2
All past Golden Boot winners (1982-2018)
1982: Paolo Rossi (ITA) – 6
1986: Gary Lineker (GBR) – 6
1990: Salvatore Schillaci – 6
1994: Oleg Salenko (RUS) / Hristo Stoichkov (BUL) – 6
1998: Davor Suker (CRO) – 6
2002: Ronaldo (BRA) – 8
2006 – Miroslav Klose (GER) – 5
2010 – Thomas Muller (GER) – 5
2014 – James Rodriguez (COL) – 6
2018 – Harry Kane (GBR) – 6
When is the 2022 World Cup?
The World Cup begins on Sunday, November 20 with host country Qatar taking on Ecuador in the opener. The group stage runs until December 3 before the start of the round of 16. The final will take place on Sunday, December 18.
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2022 World Cup schedule, start time, dates, how to watch live
- When: November 20, 2022 to December 18, 2022
- Group stage match kick-off times: 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. (all ET)
- Location: Qatar
- Spanish TV channels: Telemundo, Universe, Peacock
- Diffusion in Spanish: Peacock (all 64 games)
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