“Mbappé leads historic race for the Golden Boot ahead of Messi.”

The race for the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup promises an epic conclusion, to be decided only in the final match. Kylian Mbappé, with two goals in France's surprising 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff, has pulled ahead of Lionel Messi, holding a two-goal advantage. However, the Argentine star still has the opportunity to respond in the final against Spain.

If Messi manages to score two goals, he will claim the Golden Boot due to the assists criterion, as he has more assists than Mbappé. If he fails to achieve this feat, the 27-year-old Mbappé will be the first player to win the Golden Boot twice in a World Cup. In addition to this battle, the competition for the all-time leading World Cup scorers continues, with Mbappé leading with 22 goals, followed by Messi with 21.

Mbappé's performance in this edition is remarkable. His two goals against England brought him to 10 goals in the tournament, the highest tally by a player in a World Cup since 1970, when Gerd Müller scored 10 goals for West Germany. Before this tournament, only eight players had reached eight or more goals in a single World Cup: Müller, Just Fontaine, Sandor Kocsis, Ademir, Eusébio, Guillermo Stábile, Ronaldo, and Mbappé himself.

Another highlight of the tournament is English talent Jude Bellingham, who scored against France and climbed to third place in the Golden Boot standings with seven goals, setting the record for the most goals by an English player in a single World Cup edition. Bellingham surpassed Erling Haaland based on the assists criterion, while Three Lions captain Harry Kane is practically tied in goals with France's Ousmane Dembélé.

This race for the top scorer title promises to keep fans glued to their screens until the final whistle, with the outcome potentially altering the lasting legacy of these two giants of world football. The clash between Mbappé and Messi is not just a fight for goals, but a historic battle between two generations that have shaped contemporary football. The final against Spain is the perfect stage for Messi to attempt a turnaround and secure a memorable conclusion to his international career.

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