'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABdAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABxAAAgEEAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgMBAAUREgQGIVEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDEQEAAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAhEAAwQSMf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AmvUrVwbpae8296RM0EKVNKNhXgZncBn2C8+1KU2HlPStpXJmzAgpwscZKM0pSnJjyaZlElpaPlZTQeurdBViUhef/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is at its business end, and the race for the Golden Boot is heating up.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi and France starlet Kylian Mbappe are leading the goalscoring charts with five goals apiece. Olivier Giroud and Julian Alvarez are right behind them with four.
Messi has had a phenomenal campaign in Qatar, and his prolific tally includes a goal in every knockout round so far. With his goal against Croatia in the semifinals, he became Argentina's most prolific marksman at the World Cup with 11 goals, one more than Gabriel Batistuta.
Another Argentine who has been making waves in Qatar is Alvarez, who is having a breakout campaign at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Having struck just once in the group stage, he has bagged three more in the knockout round, including a brace against Croatia in the semifinals.
Mbappe, meanwhile, has continued from where he left off in France's World Cup-winning campaign four years ago, when he struck four times, including one in the final.
The 23-year-old has gone one better this time. He netted thrice in the group stage and twice against Poland in the Round of 16. Having fired a blank in their last-eight win over England, Mbappe will be eager to return to the scoresheet tonight (December 14) against Morocco.
He has been complemented superbly in attack by Giroud, who's looking to score in three consecutive knockout games with a strike against the Atlas Lions.
Lionel Messi leads 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot rankings in assists
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe may have scored the same number of goals, but the Argentine has the upper hand, courtesy of more assists.
He has made three assists, one more than Mbappe. However, the Frenchman will have the chance to steal a march over his PSG teammate tonight.
Only two Argentine players have won the Golden Boot, with the last one being Mario Kempes in 1978. Meanwhile, Just Fontaine is the only French player in history to have been a top scorer at the FIFA World Cup. If Messi or Mbappe win the prize, history will be written.
