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32 CommentsKylian Mbappe couldn't smile as he collected his Golden Boot trophy at the end of the 2022 World Cup.France had lost the final, even though he had scored a hat-trick. Goals do not guarantee prizes, but a prolific striker gives his team a chance.With the next edition of the world's biggest football tournament imminent, we look at the common attributes of Golden Boot winners and examine some of the leading candidates to finish as the top scorer in 2026.BBC to show Scotland's first World Cup game since 1998It has only happened once, when Davor Suker scored six goals aged 30 at France '98 as Croatia took third place in their first World Cup since gaining independence.Suker is the exception to the rule. On average Golden Boot winners are 24.7 years old. Mbappe brought the average slightly down in 2022, the 24-year-old beating 35-year-old Lionel Messi's tally by just one goal.The record for the youngest player to claim the Golden Boot - which 18-year-old Lamine Yamal might have eyes on - is held by Hungarian Florian Albert, who was one of six joint-winners at Chile 1962 at 20 years and eight months old.A successful striker needs two things - a good supply line and for their team to progress deep into the tournament. It is not surprising, therefore, that five-time winners Brazil have provided six of the tournament's most prolific strikers.Their first Golden Boot winner was Leonidas in 1938 and their latest was Ronaldo in 2002.A prolific group stage is a good start for Golden Boot hopefuls, but if your team do not make progress in the knockout stages, you are at a huge disadvantage.That was the fate of Cristiano Ronaldo at Russia 2018. He scored four Group B goals before Portugal exited in the last 16, while Kane scored six times as England got to the semi-finals.There is an exception though - Oleg Salenko at USA '94. His work was done by the time he got on his flight home after Russia failed to progress from Group B, because he bagged five in a 6-1 thrashing of Cameroon and his six goals overall secured the boot for him.Thomas Muller had never scored for his country before he landed in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup."I basically got lucky, I hit form at just the right time," Muller said as he left with the Golden Boot.In the 2009-10 Bundesliga season, Muller expected to be sent out on loan or possibly even sold by Bayern Munich. However Louis van Gaal then arrived at the club and he suddenly became a regular.Muller scored 13 goals and provided 11 assists as he played every game of Bayern's league-winning campaign, thus arriving at the World Cup in prime form following a successful club season.His story is a familiar one among Golden Boot winners. Only twice has a player from a club that finished outside their domestic top four finished as the World Cup's top scorer.Muller beat more experienced players to the prize in 2010 - by a whisker.The 20-year-old and Diego Forlan of Uruguay scored a goal apiece in the third-place play-off to tie David Villa of Spain and the Netherlands' Wesley Sneijder on five.Villa and Sneijder had the chance to claim the boot in the final in Johannesburg but neither found the net and the quartet had to be separated by the number of assists they had provided.Muller's tally of three proved decisive.And if you're wondering what happens if players are tied on goals and assists, Fifa awards the Golden Boot to the man who has played the fewest minutes.What information do we collect from this quiz?Who are the 2026 Golden Boot favourites?No-one has won the World Cup Golden Boot more than once - but two men have a good chance to become the first to do so this summer.Mbappe scored four goals in World Cup qualifying and as one of the strongest squads in the tournament, it is likely that 2022 finalists France will reach the latter stages of the competition.Another striker seeking a historic second boot is Kane. At 32, he is as we know significantly older than the average winner - but with 54 goals for his club this season, Kane is no average player. If Thomas Tuchel's side go deep into the tournament, Kane is surely certain to score his fair share.Messi has claimed plenty of personal accolades in his career, but there is a Golden Boot-shaped gap next to the eight Ballon d'Or trophies in his cabinet. Aged 38, the 2026 tournament is his final chance.At the other end of the age scale, Lamine Yamal will turn 19 the week before the final. Spain have not progressed beyond the round of 16 since their 2010 tournament win, but Luis de la Fuente's men showed they have the mettle to go the distance at Euro 2024 and were impressive in qualifying.The only player to have scored more than 100 goals for four different clubs and on the back of a successful season in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo will have his sights on the Golden Boot at the age of 41-year-old.Portugal's record of just one World Cup knockout win since 2006 does not bode well, but theirs is a strong squad - including assist king Bruno Fernandes - and there is every chance they could reach the latter stages.Amid a chaotic Real Madrid season, 25-year-old Vinicius Junior scored 21 goals and assisted 14 times across all competitions. But after finishing fifth in Conmebol qualifying and with a squad that is still relying on older players, Brazil might struggle to give Vinicius the platform for a Golden Boot challenge.Ousmane Dembele did not enjoy the same outstanding season as 2024-25, but still managed to score 19 times in all competitions for Paris St-Germain. France have a breathtaking array of attacking options but Dembele is likely to be a regular and could easily compete with compatriot Mbappe for the boot.Argentina could have two more challengers in addition to Messi, with Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez both strong candidates. Martinez scored the winner in the final and earned the Golden Boot with a five-goal haul at Copa America 2024 while Alvarez is one of Europe's most coveted strikers after a fine season with Atletico Madrid.Those are the more predictable candidates, but do not be surprised if there are some surprise bids for the boot.Euro 2024 final match-winner Mikel Oyarzabal scored in all but one of Spain's World Cup qualifying games and struck 15 La Liga goals this season. Injuries permitting, he will have Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams providing him with plenty of chances.Could Alexander Isak benefit from being fresh after an injury-hit season with Liverpool and shine for Sweden? Or might his compatriot Viktor Gyokeres be a candidate?Raphinha has also had a season disrupted by injury but is a serious attacking threat and will likely play in Brazil's forward line alongside Vinicius and Igor Thiago, another potential boot winner.Michael Olise will go into the tournament after a season comprising 22 goals in all competitions for Bayern. Although he is principally an assist machine, with 30 for the German champions this season, France will create so many chances that he could be a boot contender too.Finally, what about another relative veteran, Romelu Lukaku? Belgium have got lots of creativity in their team and the Napoli forward can be unplayable at times, so is the sort of player who could have one prolific group game then adds a goal or two more in the knockout stages.No more delayed flag? Fifa adds new offside tech for World CupEngland players will be ready for heat, says HendersonListen to the latest Football Daily podcastSoundsGet football news sent straight to your phone

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Close10As part of a new sports series, Rivals: Messi v Ronaldo looks at two individuals who didn't just dominate their era, they created one. For more than a decade, the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo transcended clubs, countries and competitions to become the defining story of modern football - reshaping how the game was played, consumed and debated.Rivals: Messi v Ronaldo is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and listen to on BBC Sounds from Friday, 5 June.

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Lewis Koumas scored his first international goal to salvage Wales a 1-1 draw with World Cup-bound Ghana in Cardiff.Substitute Caleb Yirenkyi delighted the noisy Ghanaian contingent after 66 minutes, converting from close range after the ball had stuck a post.Ghana fans greeted Yirenkyi's goal as if it was at the World Cup itself - possibly against group rivals England - rather than at a 33,000-capacity stadium which was around a third full.But Koumas, sent on as a substitute on the hour, spared Wales' blushes by nodding home a Neco Williams cross in the third minute of stoppage time.Daniel James had hit the post twice after Wales manager Craig Bellamy had pointed out the Dragons' dismal June record.Wales had lost seven of their previous 11 matches in the month of June, with only two wins.This friendly marked the 150th anniversary of the Football Association of Wales, which was formed at a Wrexham hotel in 1876, and the Dragons wore a plain red and white retro kit for the occasion.It was also the first time Wales had played African opponents on home soil, but there was something of a World Cup hangover after play-off heartbreak in March with empty seats galore.Bellamy sent out arguably the strongest XI available to him in the absence of injured duo Ben Davies and Harry Wilson.Ghana named Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo - who had a loan spell at nearby Newport earlier in his career - on the bench, while former Swansea striker Jordan Ayew wore the armband.Jonas Adjetey twice came to Ghana's rescue in the opening exchanges before James almost added to his 10 international goals.Lawrence Ati-Zigi made an excellent point-blank stop to push James' header against a post, and the Leeds winger then rattled the crossbar after Thomas Partey had blocked his first attempt.Ayew shot over wildly but Ghana had not presented any threat until Karl Darlow's pass to Joe Rodon fell short. The Leeds goalkeeper atoned for his aberration by smothering Ayew's attempt on the edge of his six-yard box.Ghana were growing into the contest and Williams took the sting out of Kamaldeen Sulemana's shot before Darlow was forced to tip over a Marvin Senaya volley that had deflected off Sorba Thomas.But the Black Stars were perhaps fortunate to still be at full strength, Partey having cynically brought down David Brooks after being cautioned for a similar challenge on James.Partey was unsurprisingly substituted at the half-time and Ghana survived when Gideon Mensah's careless touch rolled the ball inches wide.The Black Stars made the most of that escape after Williams tumbled and Swedish referee Oscar Johnson ignored penalty appeals.Ernest Nuamah burst through to force a fine diving stop from Darlow, but Yirenkyi was on hand to nudge the ball home.It looked as if that would condemn Wales to defeat but Koumas, who finished the domestic season by celebrating promotion to the Premier League with loan club Hull, joined his father Jason as an international goalscorer."With England set to face Ghana in the World Cup group stage, will Thomas Tuchel have felt any wiser about the challenge the Three Lions face on June 23?"International warm-up matches are often frustrating exercises for scouts and analysts."Managers are understandably reluctant to show their full hand with a major tournament around the corner, key players are protected, intensity levels fluctuate and tactical plans can remain firmly under wraps. This game fell firmly into that category."For large periods, Ghana looked a team with one eye on the bigger picture. They were second best for the opening hour as Wales controlled territory and possession, moving the ball through midfield with relative ease and limiting Ghana's attacking threat. It was hardly a performance that will have alarmed Tuchel or his coaching staff."Ghana's biggest attacking weapon, Semenyo, was left on the bench throughout as the management opted to preserve one of their most influential players ahead of the tournament. Any assessment of Ghana's attacking capabilities therefore came with a sizeable caveat attached."Without Semenyo, Ghana lacked a focal point capable of stretching Wales in behind. Ayew, now firmly into the veteran stage of his career, operated through the middle but struggled to provide the pace, physicality or penetration needed to trouble the Welsh backline. The attack often looked predictable and easy to contain."That changed when the bench was introduced."The arrivals of Nuamah and eventual goalscorer Yirenkyi injected life into Ghana's play. Wales, comfortable for much of the evening, found themselves pushed backwards more frequently."Yirenkyi's goal was reward for a much-improved final half-hour and offered a glimpse of what Ghana can become when their younger, more dynamic attackers are involved."

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Jurriën Timber, Cody Gakpo and Tijjani Reijnders. Photograph: Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty ImagesThe Oranje had high hopes but a spate of injuries has tempered expectationsThis article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.Has Ronald Koeman ever started a major tournament with more headaches? Probably not. He is known as an exceptionally ambitious perfectionist, which means the preparation for this World Cup has been the most troublesome of all his years as the national-team head coach.Injuries are part and parcel of the game but it becomes a real problem when, in the run-up to a major tournament, around half the starting XI is either ruled out completely or sidelined for months. In the spring Koeman said he would only take players who were fully fit and playing regularly, but that stance became difficult to maintain.Tottenham’s Xavi Simons suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April and won’t be back until next year. The PSV midfielder Jerdy Schouten is also recovering from the same injury. Matthijs de Ligt, who has often partnered Virgil van Dijk in central defence, has not regained full fitness after a back problem.Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong missed most of the season, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries was out for four months. Manchester City’s Tijjani Reijnders and Nathan Aké were often on the bench while Memphis Depay sustained a serious hamstring injury at the end of his season in Brazil.Koeman, a disciple of the Johan Cruyff school of football thinking, prefers attacking football and, during the qualifiers, stuck to a very traditional Dutch style, but he may have to abandon his favoured 4-3-3 system for the tournament.The Netherlands – who are in a tough group with Japan, Sweden and Tunisia – must now select their fittest and strongest players, rather than the most talented ones that reflect the Dutch footballing philosophy. The KNVB (the Royal Dutch Football Association) has made reaching the semi-finals a minimum target; Koeman wants to go even further and win the tournament. But that will require a lot of hard work.“What I’d like people to say about my team is that they play with a lot of intensity, that they can’t say we didn’t do enough,” Koeman told Fifa in May. “I want them to play with confidence, with personality, understanding what their qualities are. And to always respect every opponent despite the fact there may be so-called smaller nations at the World Cup.”While at Barcelona, Johan Cruyff once asked Ronald Koeman to share a room with a young talent named Pep Guardiola. The two developed under Cruyff’s attacking philosophy and took that with them into coaching. Koeman is the only coach in the Netherlands to have enjoyed success with all three major clubs – Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV – both as a player and as a manager. For that reason, he is widely respected across the country, has a strong reputation, and has long enjoyed a positive relationship with his international players.Koeman heads to the World Cup during a time when his wife, Bartina, is undergoing treatment for cancer. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and it came back in 2018 and 2023. During the qualification campaign, Koeman occasionally left the training camp to be with her. “If I had to leave it was to be with my wife but she is incredibly strong and positive,” he said. “That is something very special. [But] it is very difficult. She cannot do everything she used to and she gets tired more easily because of the side effects [of chemotherapy]. But we focus on the things that matter most to us and give her energy. That is something beautiful to see.”For decades the Netherlands’ star players were forwards but the Dutch have struggled to produce world-class strikers in recent years so for the first time, the team’s strongest department is the defence, led by the formidable Virgil van Dijk. The Liverpool defender is in effect Koeman’s extension on the pitch. The 33-year-old is the undisputed leader and the most vocal figure in the dressing room and on the field. He represents the squad in discussions with the federation and regularly consults Koeman on tactics. He is not immune to criticism from Koeman though, who says: “I have to stay on his back to make sure he remains sharp. He knows that – it has been the case since our time at Southampton. But he is a fantastic leader.”Micky van de Ven has been in the spotlight in the Netherlands for having to battle relegation with Tottenham and has been left out of Koeman’s squads in the past because the head coach was concerned about the defender picking up muscle injuries by playing too much. Van de Ven was never part of a big-club academy and had to fight his way to the Premier League via Volendam and Wolfsburg. He brings energy and power to the team with his exceptional pace, strong tackling and relentless running. At international level, he has had to battle to win a starting place but looks to have done so just before the World Cup.One thing the Americans can be certain of: the Oranje march will set Kansas City, Dallas and Houston alight. The famous orange double-decker bus was shipped to the United States a month before the World Cup and will travel to every city where the Dutch are playing. Thousands of Dutch fans will take part in city-centre processions. On its top deck, well-known Dutch artists, DJs and bands will perform, setting the tone and creating a good atmosphere. And we’ll also see the Links Rechts (left-right) routine to the song by Snollebollekes.King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima have made several visits to Donald Trump in the White House. These visits are viewed as a strategic strengthening of relations between the Netherlands and the US, with the king acting as a diplomatic bridge. However, public opinion in the Netherlands towards Trump is largely negative and prominent Dutch politicians have in the past been outspoken, with some describing Trump as “a political charlatan”.Written by Marcel van der Kraan for De Telegraaf.

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Personal terms agreed on contract until 2030Tchouaméni and Wharton among other targetsManchester United have reached an agreement with Atalanta to sign Éderson for an initial €40.5m (£35m), with the midfielder set to be the first signing of Michael Carrick’s tenure as the permanent manager.As reported in April, the 26-year-old was identified by Carrick and Jason Wilcox, the director of football, as a replacement for Casemiro, who has now left the club after the expiry of his contract.The deal could be worth up to €45m (£38.8m) with add-ons. Personal terms have been agreed on a contract that will expire in June 2030, with an option to extend for 12 months. While the summer transfer window opens on 15 June, the move is likely to be completed early next month, with the player yet to undertake a medical.His prime position is as a holding player, possessing a dynamism to make runs from box to box, and an ability to read a game and stymie attacks. Manuel Ugarte, also a defensive midfielder, rarely featured last season and after signing for £51m from Paris Saint-Germain in summer 2024 could be sold or loaned.Éderson, who turns 27 next month, was in Carlo Ancelotti’s initial 55-man squad before the World Cup but the Brazil head coach did not select him for the tournament.Éderson joined Atalanta in January 2022 from Salernitana, having played for Cruzeiro, Corinthians and Fortaleza in his homeland. After making his Brazil debut in a friendly against Mexico in June 2024, he has three caps, the last of which came in a 4-1 loss to Argentina in March 2025.Carrick is intent on signing two new midfielders, with others on United’s list including Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni, who would cost around £70m, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, who United value at £50m, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who would cost at least £60m, and Elliot Anderson, who may be priced at a minimum £100m by Nottingham Forest and is believed to favour a move to Manchester City.

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Manchester United reporterPublished2 hours ago115 CommentsManchester United have agreed a £35m (40.5m euros) deal with Italian side Atalanta for Brazil midfielder Ederson.The 26-year-old will sign a four-year deal at United, with the option to extend it by a further 12 months.Ederson is still to have a medical, with sources saying the transfer should be completed in early July before United's return to pre-season training begins.He will become the club's first signing since Michael Carrick was appointed permanent head coach last month.The deal will also be subject to £3.9m (€4.5m) in additional payments.It is the first of what could be up to three central midfield additions to Carrick's squad this summer.United are prioritising that area of the field, which has been weakened by the exit of Ederson's compatriot Casemiro, 34, whose contract expires at the end of the month.Ederson, who has three internaional caps, was named in Brazil's 55-man expanded World Cup squad but missed out on manager Carlo Ancelotti's final selection.United are also keen on West Ham's Mateus Fernandes, although the relegated London outfit are looking for a substantial profit on the Portugal midfeidler who cost them in excess of £40m when he joined from Southampton last summer.United also covet England's Elliot Anderson, although the Nottingham Forest player would prefer to join Manchester City.In addition to strengthening their midfield, United are also looking to bring in a left-sided player, with Newcastle's Lewis Hall among the players on their radar, and striking support for Benjamin Sesko.They are also still to decide on the precise make-up of their goalkeeping team, which could include Radek Vitek, who enjoyed a superb campaign on loan at Bristol City, where he won all their player of the year prizes.The 22-year-old Czech told BBC Sport in April he is open minded about the future but wants to play regularly, suggesting he will not return to Old Trafford as back-up to Senne Lammens.It is understood former first-choice Andre Onana has been told he can find another club, although it is not clear how easily the Cameroon international's wage demands will be met given he will benefit in an increase from United qualifying for next season's Champions League.Ederson, 26, has proved adaptable across a number of central midfield roles for Atalanta, scoring 16 goals in 180 games for the Serie A outfit in all competitions.Driven by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United have revamped their data analysis operation under Michael Sansoni and the former high-ranking Mercedes Formula One has had significant involvement in identifying the right targets, working alongside director of football Jason Wilcox.Carrick confirmed he had been involved in recruitment meetings from the point he was named as Ruben Amorim's temporary successor in January.Latest Manchester United news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Man Utd - what do you want to know?

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10 CommentsWales head coach Craig Bellamy believes Lewis Koumas' international future will be as a centre-forward.Koumas scored his first goal for Wales to earn a 1-1 draw against Ghana in Tuesday's friendly at Cardiff City Stadium.The 20-year-old Liverpool player has spent much of his burgeoning career on the left wing, but Bellamy has used him as a centre-forward recently."[He is a] nine because we don't really have any nines coming through and we do have a lot of wingers, brilliant wingers," said the Wales boss."He could definitely be a huge asset for us on the wing but, due to our lack of nines coming through the system, we've used him a lot in training that way and he's really been electric."There's a lot to like about Koomy. He's such a young player and I'm over the moon he got his goal because he's deserved it."Koumas spent the second half of the 2025-26 season on loan at Hull City, helping them win promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.The Liverpool academy product has previously been on loan at Birmingham City and Stoke City, where he predominantly played on the left flank.But whereas Wales are well stocked out wide with the likes of Daniel James, Harry Wilson, Brennan Johnson, David Brooks and Sorba Thomas among their options, they have a shortage of genuine strikers."We started him [as a centre-forward] against Northern Ireland [friendly draw in March], I thought he was OK," Bellamy added."When he came on today, he needs to be a little bit tidier but that's normal."I see him as a real future player for Wales who's going to have a big say. I'm delighted for him."Having missed out on World Cup qualification after losing their play-off semi-final at home to Bosnia-Herzegovina in March, Wales will finish their season with a friendly in Romania on Saturday (18:45 BST).Ghana, meanwhile, will travel to the United States to prepare for a World Cup campaign in which they have been drawn in a group alongside England, Croatia and Panama.Asked about the Black Stars' prospects for the tournament, Bellamy said: "You have a tough group, a new manager [Carlos Queiroz]."You have some key players who weren't involved today. I like Inaki Williams, [Antoine] Semenyo. You're a dangerous team in transition because of the speed you always have in the top line - Ghana have had that for a number of years."If you can keep it tight... counter-attacking ability... your first game is Panama, your tournament is going to be decided on that game. If you win one game, you might get into the knockout stage."Croatia and England are going to be two really difficult games. The way you support your team, you never know."Late Koumas goal earns Wales draw with GhanaBellamy rejects club offers to commit to WalesWilliams still hurting over Wales World Cup miss

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The top stories and transfer rumours from Wednesday's newspapers...Manchester United are confident captain Bruno Fernandes will decide to stay this summer - talkSPORTAston Villa hope to resist offers for Morgan Rogers this summer amid growing interest from rival clubs, including Arsenal - The TelegraphChelsea value Enzo Fernandez at £120m amid interest from Real Madrid. The LaLiga side could look to include players in a swap deal, such as reuniting defender Dean Huijsen with former boss Xabi Alonso - Daily MailChelsea are interested in Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers and West Ham's Jarrod Bowen, although the Hammers insist their captain is not for sale - Daily MailWest Ham will demand £80m for Manchester United and Arsenal target Matheus Fernandes - The TimesArsenal will enquire about Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez this summer - AS

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Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson.Ederson is set to sign a four-year deal at the club with an option to extend his stay for an additional 12 months.The deal is expected to go through before July, subject to Ederson completing a medical, which would make the 26-year-old the first signing of the Michael Carrick era.United look set to sign a player they have held a long-term interest in but want to sign another midfielder during the summer window, due to Casemiro leaving and Manuel Ugarte also likely to depart.Manchester United's midfield must be overhauled this summer and while Ederson alone is not the answer, his signing looks a step in right direction. The 26-year-old Brazil international from Atalanta can bring the dynamism that Michael Carrick needs.Kobbie Mainoo oozes class but United need different options as they seek to replace the departing Casemiro and the disappointingly limited Manuel Ugarte.Ederson, with whom they have long been linked, looks a smart signing because of his flexibility.