World Cup 2026: Do goals in the third place play-off count towards the Golden Boot?

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 14: Kylian Mbappé #10 of France greets fans after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between France and Spain at Dallas Stadium on July 14, 2026 in Arlington, United States. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images) — Kylian Mbappe might not leave the World Cup empty-handed (Image credit: Getty Images)

The 2026 World Cup's 'Bronze Final' - otherwise known as the third-place play-off - will see Golden Boot nominee Kylian Mbappe vie to remain top of the goalscoring standings at this tournament.

France were eliminated at the semi-final stage on Tuesday by an organised and ruthless Spain outfit who nullified the French threat with efficiency.

Mbappe has scored 20 goals at the World Cup, including eight at the 2026 edition, putting him in pole position to be crowned top scorer - but if he nets in the third-place play-off, will they count towards his tournament total?

Do goals scored in the third place play-off count towards the Golden Boot?

While many write off the third-place play-off as the match nobody wants to be in, it remains a fully sanctioned World Cup fixture.

That means any goals scored in the bronze-medal game absolutely count toward the Golden Boot race. After all, a goal is a goal. But not if it's scored in a shootout.

Race for the Golden Boot 2026

Kylian Mbappe (8 goals)
Lionel Messi (8 goals)
Erling Haaland (7 goals)
Jude Bellingham (6 goals)
Harry Kane (6 goals)

Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane (Image credit: Getty Images)

Who was the first Golden Boot winner to score in the third place play-off?

Brazilian forward Leonidas (L) controls the ball in front of a Swedish defender during the World Cup soccer match for third place between Brazil and Sweden 19 June 1938 in Bordeaux. Leonidas scored twice to help Brazil beat Sweden 4-2. AFP PHOTO / AFP PHOTO / STAFF — Brazilian Leonidis won the 1938 World Cup Golden Boot (Image credit: STAFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Brazil's Leonidas was the first Golden Boot winner to score in the World Cup third place play-off.

The man who was said to have invented the bicycle kick bagged a brace as the Selecao beat Sweden 4-2 to finish third at the 1938 tournament.

Davor Suker remains the last Golden Boot winner to find the net in a World Cup third-place play-off, scoring Croatia's winner against the Netherlands in 1998.

Since then, only two other Golden Boot recipients have featured in the bronze-medal match have been Germany’s Miroslav Klose in 2006 and England’s Harry Kane in 2018, but neither finished the game by adding to their tournament tallies.

Diego Forlan and Thomas Muller both struck in the 2010 third-place match, but did so as part of a four-way draw for the tournament's top scorer prize, with Muller ultimately claiming the official Golden Boot trophy thanks to his superior assist tally.

Diego Forlan of Uruguay celebrates scoring the equalising goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Semi Final match between Uruguay and the Netherlands at Green Point Stadium on July 6, 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa. — Diego Forlan netted four goals at the 2010 World Cup – including in the third-place play-off (Image credit: Ryan Pierse - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

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Joe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.