Messi, currently on eight goals, will need to score twice against Spain on Sunday to potentially surpass Mbappe who grabbed a brace against England on Saturday night as France finished fourth at the World Cup.
The World Cup golden boot goes to the player with the most goals at the tournament although if players be tied for goals scored at the end of the global showpiece, the winner is the one with the most assists.
However, if players are both tied on assists, the Golden Boot goes to the player with the fewest minutes played.
As seen below, Mbappe and Messi currently have the same amount of assists so if they tie for goals, it is likely the Frenchman would win as the Inter Miami star is almost certain to play a full 90 minutes, pushing his minutes past Mbappe’s.
World Cup Golden Boot standings
1. Kylian Mbappe (France), 10 goals, (4 assists) - 769 minutes played
2. Lionel Messi (Argentina), 8 goals (4 assists) - 712 minutes played
3. Jude Bellingham (England), 7 goals (1 assist) - 698 minutes played
4. Erling Haaland (Norway), 7 goals (0 assists) - 537 minutes played
5. Ousmane Dembele (France), 6 goals (2 assists) - 648 minutes played
6. Harry Kane (England), 6 goals (1 assist) - 732 minutes played
7. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), 5 goals (1 assist) - 599 minutes played
Messi's Argentina face off against Spain on Sunday night as the world champions face off against the European champions. All eyes will turn to Messi for the clash, a player who needs to be at his absolute best to grab the Golden Boot.