• Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Julian Alvarez and Olivier Giroud could all win the Golden Boot

• The World Cup Final will act as straight shoot out for the individual accolade, as well as the overall Trophy

• Assists and minutes played could end up deciding the winner

Argentina and France go head to head in the Final of the World Cup™ at Lusail Stadium on Sunday, with hopes of lifting the coveted trophy high on both sides. Aside from that collective goal, the two teams’ main attacking threats are also in direct competition to finish as the tournament’s leading scorer. The winner will receive the adidas Golden Boot, an accolade that is still very much up for grabs with four players – two from each of the finalists – in the running.

Leading the way are Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe on five goals, with Julian Alvarez and Olivier Giroud both just one behind. In the event of a tie, the number of assists will determine the winner. If a tie persists, the player who has spent the fewest/fewer minutes on the pitch across the tournament as a whole will be declared the winner.

The Argentinian is appearing at his fifth World Cup and almost certainly his last, as he has declared on several occasions. The No. 10 is holding nothing back at Qatar 2022 and is having one of his best tournaments ever. Prior to Qatar 2022, Messi had never scored in a World Cup knockout match before, a record he has set straight with goals in the last 16, quarter-final and semi-final, to add to the two he struck in the group stage.

Should he add another in the Final and win the only major trophy that still eludes him, it would be the perfect way to end a sensational international career.

Winning and starring at Russia 2018 was not enough for the high-flying Paris Saint-Germain forward, who has shown his competitive streak once more at Qatar 2022. In outstanding form once again, he has helped take his side to the Final and is hungry for a second World Cup winner’s medal. Mbappe opened his 2022 account in Group D against Australia, going on to score a brace in the win over Denmark. He helped himself to another double in the defeat of Poland in the last 16.

The Manchester City man has been one of Argentina’s leading lights in Qatar, pressing the opposition and linking up with his team mates to great effect, showcasing his finishing prowess in the process. Having started the tournament behind Lautaro Martinez in the pecking order, Alvarez has since become an integral part of the starting XI. He scored the first of his four goals in the group match against Poland but it is the knockout stage in which he has come into his own. After getting on the scoresheet in the last 16 win over Australia, he scored twice against Croatia in the semi-final, his best performance of the tournament so far.

Without a goal at Russia 2018 - though playing a key role in France's front line link up play - Giroud was under pressure to show his finishing ability in Qatar, especially with Karim Benzema ruled out with injury before the tournament. The AC Milan striker has not disappointed, finding the back of the net twice in France’s opening match against Australia and scoring again in the round of 16 meeting with Poland.

His most important goal at the tournament to date was undoubtedly his fourth, a fine second-half header to give his side victory over England in the quarter final.

1930: Guillermo Stabile (8 goals) 1934: Oldrich Nejedly (5) 1938: Leonidas da Silva (7) 1950: Ademir de Menezes (8) 1954: Sandor Kocsis (11) 1958: Just Fontaine (13) 1962: Florian Albert, Garrincha, Valentin Ivanov, Drazan Jerkovic, Leonel Sanchez and Vava (4) 1966: Eusebio (9) 1970: Gerd Muller (10) 1974: Grzegorz Lato (7) 1978: Mario Kempes (6) 1982: Paolo Rossi (6) 1986: Gary Lineker (6) 1990: Toto Schillaci (6) 1994: Oleg Salenko and Hristo Stoichkov (6) 1998: Davor Suker (6) 2002: Ronaldo (8) 2006: Miroslav Klose (5) 2010: Thomas Muller (5) 2014: James Rodriguez (6) 2018: Harry Kane (6)

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