The Golden Boot Number Nobody's Talking About
Messi and Mbappé are tied on 8 goals. Mbappé leads the Golden Boot by one assist. Here's what the data says about the race going into the semis.
Erling Haaland
Manchester City
12articles·Soccer, Culture
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England Meets Haaland Tonight. God Help Them.
Norway vs England, World Cup quarterfinal, 5 PM ET tonight on FOX. Haaland has 7 goals in this tournament. England fans, I have some very bad news for you.
Haaland and Messi: The World Cup Handoff Is Now
Haaland, 25, outscored Messi, Mbappe, and Ronaldo combined in debut World Cups. Messi is 39 and still leading the Golden Boot. This semifinal writes itself.
Norway vs. England Is the World Cup's Best Story
Norway vs. England in Miami Saturday has two questions: can Haaland reach 8 and tie the modern-era record, and can Kane finally win it for England? Here's the full picture.
Norway Is a Prayer. England Is the Test.
Norway beat Brazil on Haaland's brace. The 'he can't do it for his country' narrative is dead. But England on July 11 is a different kind of problem.
Norway Finally Wins a World Cup Knockout Game
Erling Haaland scored in the 86th minute to give Norway its first World Cup knockout win in 88 years. What it means for a nation that never had one.
Haaland Is Chasing Messi for the Golden Boot
Haaland scored in the 86th minute to send Norway through. He now trails Messi by one goal in the Golden Boot race. The best subplot at this World Cup.
Haaland's Quietly Burying the Narrative
The knock on Erling Haaland was that he'd disappear when the stage got biggest. He has 4 goals in 2 World Cup games. Norway's through to the knockouts. The narrative is losing.
The Golden Boot Race Is the Best Story at the 2026 World Cup
Haaland has 4 World Cup goals in 2 games. Messi has 5. The 2026 Golden Boot race is at a historic pace — and Haaland meets Mbappe on Friday.
Haaland Scores Twice, Calls Messi a Madman
Haaland scored twice on Norway's first World Cup appearance since 1998, then watched Messi drop a hat trick and had exactly four words to say about it.
Haaland at the Stanley Cup Was Perfect
Erling Haaland wore a #9 Hurricanes jersey, waved a rally towel, and hit the Jumbotron three days before Norway's first World Cup since 1998. This is the content we needed.
Norway's Viking Photo Is Nation-Branding at Its Sharpest
Norway turned their World Cup team photo into a cultural statement. Haaland with sword and shield at an Oslo fjord tells you more about modern nation-branding than it does about Group I.