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As the North and Central American World Cup kicks off its quarterfinal matches tomorrow (July 10), the race for the Golden Boot is heating up. World-class strikers who have already scored six or more goals—including Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, and Kane—are all vying for both the championship title and the top scorer award.
Reporter Ha Seong-nyong has the story.
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The rivalry between France's Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the final four years ago in Qatar to win the Golden Boot with eight goals, and Messi, who lifted the championship trophy despite finishing one goal behind Mbappe with two goals in the final, is considered one of the greatest and most intense Golden Boot races in history.
The race for the top scorer in this North and Central American World Cup is even hotter and more fierce than it was four years ago.
Starting with Messi, who leads with eight goals, followed by Mbappe and Norway's Haaland with seven, and England's Kane with six, the 'Big Four'—each of whom has won a league scoring title—are engaged in a relentless competition.
In particular, 39-year-old Messi, who is on his 'last dance,' is delivering an incredible performance that defies his age.
With a hat-trick and goals in five consecutive matches, Messi has become the first player in World Cup history to score eight goals before the quarterfinals. He is sprinting toward the one thing missing from his football career: the World Cup Golden Boot trophy.
The scoring prowess of Mbappe, who is closely trailing Messi, is also phenomenal.
He is chasing Messi closely not only in this tournament but also in total career World Cup goals, aiming to become the first player in history to win the Golden Boot in two consecutive tournaments.
[Mbappe/France National Football Team Striker: I am not really focused on the Golden Boot because I am sure Messi will score more goals. I am only thinking about winning the championship.]
'Monster' Haaland, in his first World Cup, has scored in four consecutive matches, including two goals against Brazil, and Kane, the Golden Boot winner from eight years ago, is also on fire with goals in three consecutive games. However, since Norway and England are set to face each other in the quarterfinals, one of them will be eliminated.
With four players having already surpassed the six-goal mark before the quarterfinals even begin, there is anticipation for the first player to reach double-digit goals in a single tournament in 56 years, since Gerd Muller in 1970.
(Video Editing: Park Jeong-sam, Design: Lee Jun-ho)
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