World Cup Golden Boots

TABLE OF CONTENT

A pair of bronze-colored Nike Zoom Mercurial Superfly soccer cleats are resting on the white line of a green soccer field during the day. The cleats have a white Nike swoosh, a dark purple sock-like collar, and a white sole with pink studs. In the background, a goalpost and parts of the stadium are visible under a clear, sunny sky.

The Golden Boot (formerly the Golden Shoe) is FIFA’s award for the top scorer at a World Cup.

It looks simple—score the most goals—but tiebreakers (assists, then minutes per goal) can decide the winner when players finish level.

Below is a clean, parent‑friendly table of every Golden Boot winner (and years with shared awards) so you can spot legends, compare goal tallies, and share football history with your kids.

World Cup Golden Boots

Year Golden Boot winner(s) Boot worn (at the tournament) Goals Nation
2022 Kylian Mbappé Nike Zoom Mercurial Superfly 9 (World Cup “Generation” pack) 8 France
2018 Harry Kane Nike Hypervenom Phantom 3 Elite (“Just Do It” pack) 6 England
2014 James Rodríguez adidas F50 adizero (Battle Pack) 6 Colombia
2010 Thomas Müller adidas F50 adizero (Black/Sun Yellow) 5 Germany
2006 Miroslav Klose adidas World Cup (classic black) 5 Germany
2002 Ronaldo Nike Mercurial Vapor I (Silver/Chilli Red → Chrome/Silver in later rounds) 8 Brazil
1998 Davor Šuker Lotto Stadio Classic 6 Croatia
1994Hristo Stoichkov & Oleg Salenko—6Bulgaria / Russia
1990Salvatore Schillaci—6Italy
1986Gary Lineker—6England
1982Paolo Rossi—6Italy
1978Mario Kempes—6Argentina
1974Grzegorz Lato—7Poland
1970Gerd Müller—10West Germany
1966Eusébio—9Portugal
19626 players tied—4—
1958Just Fontaine—13France
1954Sándor Kocsis—11Hungary
1950Ademir—9Brazil
1938Leônidas—7Brazil
1934Oldřich Nejedlý—5Czechoslovakia
1930Guillermo Stábile—8Argentina

*Boot model notes are compiled from manufacturer / specialist sources. For earlier tournaments, reliable boot‑model documentation is sparse; happy to fill in any you can source.

How FIFA decides the Golden Boot (tiebreakers)
If players finish level on goals, FIFA uses assists as the first tiebreaker and fewest minutes played as the second.

That’s how Thomas Müller won in 2010 ahead of Forlán, Sneijder, and David Villa (all five goals).

Quick records worth knowing

  • Most goals in a single World Cup: Just Fontaine (France) — 13 in 1958.
  • Next best single‑tournament hauls: Sándor Kocsis (11, 1954), Gerd Müller (10, 1970).
  • Shared awards: 1962 (six players on 4 goals) and 1994 (Stoichkov & Salenko, 6 goals each).
  • Golden Shoe → Golden Boot: the name was formalised as “Golden Boot” for FIFA’s award but older references to “Golden Shoe” are common.

FAQ

Who won the most recent World Cup Golden Boot?
Kylian Mbappé (France) won in 2022 with 8 goals, ahead of Lionel Messi (7).

Can more than one player win the Golden Boot?
Yes. If players finish level on goals and remain tied on assists and minutes, the award can be shared (e.g., 1994). Historically, FIFA also recognises joint top scorers (e.g., six winners in 1962).

What’s the difference between the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball?
The Golden Boot is for the top scorer. The Golden Ball is for the best overall player at the tournament.

Which position usually wins the Golden Boot?
Mostly forwards/strikers, but flexible attackers and late‑arriving midfielders can win too—anyone who consistently gets into scoring positions.

Which player scored the most goals at a single World Cup?
Just Fontaine (France) holds the record with 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup.

Written by Igor Koen

Author of the blog post. Image has been taken in wood. Man has black short hair, black jacket and military backpack
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