{"id":1909,"date":"2022-12-12T14:02:57","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T14:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=1909"},"modified":"2022-12-12T14:40:29","modified_gmt":"2022-12-12T14:40:29","slug":"2022-12-12-world-cup-mbappe-messi-golden-boot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/2022-12-12-world-cup-mbappe-messi-golden-boot","title":{"rendered":"Mbapp\u00e9, Messi Eyeing Golden Boot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With the FIFA World Cup semi-finals fast-approaching, we analyse the three primary candidates to end as top scorer in Qatar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and Lionel Messi are locked in a race for the Golden Boot, but discount Olivier Giroud at your own peril.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<script>(function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src='https:\/\/experience.ex.co\/sdk.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,'script','exco-sdk'));<\/script><div class=\"exco\" data-id=\"318842b1-d3ec-4e21-9fb1-cb0cf80a1764\" data-show-share=\"false\" data-show-info=\"false\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>&#8211; Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 | 5 goals<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After scoring four goals and scooping the Best Young Player award in Russia 2018, Mbapp\u00e9 is now the face of the French attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mbapp\u00e9 leads the way in Qatar with five goals to his name thus far. Overall, in 12 games at the World Cup finals, he has netted nine times at the quadrennial event; more than the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar (both 8), Diego Maradona (7), and Thierry Henry (6) \u2013 who all featured in at least three editions of the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although he is deemed the most potent threat in attack for <em>Les Bleus<\/em>, it must be said Mbapp\u00e9 boasts an artillery of note in Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, and Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9. Karim Benzema was ruled out of the World Cup with injury, however he remains listed on France&#8217;s squad for the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mbapp\u00e9 is just one goal shy of Thomas M\u00fcller, co-winner of the Golden Boot in 2010, having played seven games fewer than the Germany attacker. Turning 24 following the World Cup finale, the Frenchman is also closing in on the tally of Brazil legend Pel\u00e9, the only three-time world champion, who scored 12 goals in 14 games at the World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Kylian Mbappe has now scored more World Cup goals than\u2026<br><br>Diego Maradona<br>Cristiano Ronaldo<br>Rivaldo<br>Rudi Voller<br>Davor Suker<br>Hristo Stoichkov<br>Neymar<br>Asamoah Gyan <br>Thierry Henry<br>Mario Kempes<br>Geoff Hurst<br>Zinedine Zidane<br><br>And he\u2019s already won the thing.<br><br>Again\u2026 He\u2019s 23. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/VUQxFlpb6h\">pic.twitter.com\/VUQxFlpb6h<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Joe Crann (@YesWeCrann) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/YesWeCrann\/status\/1599446442292219904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 4, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>&#8211; Lionel Messi | 4 goals<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also in contention for the prize for top scorer, Messi is just one goal adrift Mbapp\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As expected, the Argentine skipper has been integral to his nation&#8217;s efforts in the Middle East. His four goals (and two assists) have been of essence for the South American champions, as the 35-year-old aims to bow out with a winner&#8217;s medal in what is likely to be his final showing at the World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Argentina guaranteed to play twice more at Qatar 2022, Messi has already matched his best returns at a single World Cup event (four goals in 2014) and the Argentina hero has the chance to land both the Golden Boot (top scorer) and Golden Ball (best player) accolades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Only Mbapp\u00e9 (7) has been directly involved in more goals than Messi this tournament, and the pair of Paris St-Germain teammates could meet in the World Cup final on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">5 &#8211; Lionel Messi has assisted five goals in the World Cup knockout stages &#8211; since Opta have World Cup assists (from 1966), this is the most on record in the knockout rounds of the finals, surpassing Pel\u00e9&#8217;s four. Goat. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ScHbh5oj1b\">pic.twitter.com\/ScHbh5oj1b<\/a><\/p>\u2014 OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OptaJoe\/status\/1601300728475254786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 9, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>&#8211; Olivier Giroud | 4 goals<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also on four goals is Giroud. Perhaps nobody benefitted more from Benzema&#8217;s injury relapse than the 36-year-old striker did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Giroud was on target twice in France&#8217;s World Cup opener with Australia, before netting in both of their knockout matches versus Poland and England. His strike in the last-16 was his 52nd in France colours, elapsing Thierry Henry and making Giroud the all-time top scorer for <em>Les Bleus<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although he and strike partner Mbapp\u00e9 have been in free-scoring form for the duration of the tournament, the French next come up against perhaps the sturdiest defence in Qatar, with Morocco bidding for a berth to the final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Morocco yet to concede to an opposing player at the showpiece event, it may take something special to break down the Atlas Lions. That something special could just be Giroud, Mbapp\u00e9 and co.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Giroud-52-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1914\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Giroud celebrates a record-breaking 52nd goal for France.<br>(Photo: ANP via Getty Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s a three-horse race for the Golden Boot, with the chance that all three horses are involved in the World Cup final on December 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prior to the semi-final showdowns on Tuesday and Wednesday, the bookies have Mbapp\u00e9 at <em><strong>1.50<\/strong><\/em> to win the Golden Boot at Qatar 2022; Messi is <em><strong>3.75<\/strong><\/em> while Giroud is priced <em><strong>7.00<\/strong><\/em> for top scorer at the tournament.<br>(<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bet365.com\/#\/AS\/B1\/I^16\/J^1\/K^4\/U1001\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bet365<\/a><\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Golden-Boot-SF.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1912\" width=\"420\" height=\"140\"\/><\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the FIFA World Cup semi-finals fast-approaching, we analyse the three primary candidates to end as top scorer in Qatar. Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and Lionel Messi are locked in a race for the Golden Boot, but discount Olivier Giroud at your own peril. &#8211; Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 | 5 goals After scoring four goals and scooping the &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,893],"tags":[162,188,159,256,108],"class_list":["post-1909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer","category-world-cup","tag-fifa-world-cup","tag-kylian-mbappe","tag-lionel-messi","tag-olivier-giroud","tag-soccer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1909\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}