World Cup Golden Boot Odds: Early-Bird Lines Offer Value
Kane, Mbappe Lead Field Five Months Ahead of Event
Plenty of Potential Picks for Top Scorers
The World Cup is less than five months away! That means it’s time to take an early look at the World Cup Golden Boot odds. We’ll run through the leading contenders and some dark horse and long-shot candidates. Club form and injuries are certain to alter the odds in the lead-up to November’s World Cup. So, there are plenty of potential bargains to be found on the odds board.
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At +700, Harry Kane has the shortest odds to be the top scorer at the FIFA World Cup 2022. The England striker had an excellent second half of the 2021-22 season with Tottenham, leading them to the Champions League.
Kane also won the World Cup Golden Boot in 2018, with six goals, and scored four times at last Summer’s Euros. England is expected to compete after their Euro heartbreak but has had some concerning results lately. Regardless, Kane is in as good of a position as anyone to be the top scorer in Qatar.
Kylian Mbappe just inked a long-term contract to stay at PSG and will be the main man in Paris for years to come. Four years ago, the French star had his breakout tournament at Russia 2018 and scored four goals as France lifted the trophy. However, Mbappe was disappointed at last year’s Euros and may have something to prove in Qatar. His World Cup Golden Boot odds are an appealing +800 but France does have a bunch of attacking standouts.
Contenders
Karim Benzema is almost certain to contend for this year’s Ballon D’or. He’s already won the Golden Boot in La Liga and the Champions League. Benzema wasn’t on the France side that won the World Cup four years ago but is set to be their main striker in Qatar.
France is expected to make another run this time around, which means Benzema should have plenty of goalscoring opportunities. Benzema has been one of the biggest positive movers on the odds board so far. Qatar 2022 odds now price Benzema at +1100 to win the Golden Boot.
They’ll go down as two of the greatest to ever play the game but both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi still have unfinished business. Neither player has won the World Cup, nor a World Cup Golden Boot. However, in 2021 Ronaldo won the Euro Golden Boot with Portugal. Meanwhile, Messi also won the same award at Copa America with Argentina.
Now, they’re both among the leading contenders to win the Golden Boot at the World Cup. Both players will be conscious that this is most likely their last World Cup appearance. So, don’t be surprised if either earns the award as Ronaldo sits at +1200 odds and Messi’s not far behind at +1400.
Frankly, Romelu Lukaku flopped last season at Chelsea. Now back on loan with Inter Milan, Lukaku will be hoping to hit his stride once again. Lukaku is Belgium’s main striker and did manage four goals in 2018 as the Red Devils finished in third place. With Belgium’s championship window closing, Lukaku may need to be at his best for them to have a chance. His World Cup Golden Boot odds are +1600.
Dark Horses
Overshadowed at PSG by Mbappe and the arrival of Messi, Neymar is still among the best players in the world. Linked to Chelsea, Neymar could be on the move before the World Cup. The Brazilian talisman has six career World Cup goals and +2000 odds to be the top scorer in Qatar.
Raheem Sterling, another player heavily linked to Chelsea, is also at +2000 odds. Sterling has played in two World Cups with England but has yet to register a goal.
Brazil is loaded with attacking talent and Vinicius Jr. is no exception. Vinicius scored the Champions League-winning goal for Real Madrid and is priced at +2500 Golden Boot odds. Qatar 2022 will be his first World Cup. Also on +2500 odds, Memphis Depay and Diogo Jota are lower profile players than the names that precede them but there’s no denying their talent. Depay is the Netherlands’ main attacking piece, while Jota could play Robin to Ronaldo’s Batman on Portugal.
Longshots
Arguably the best striker in the world, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski has never scored a World Cup goal. That and the lack of service he receives with Poland compared to the club level explains his +4000 Golden Boot odds.
Luis Suarez is set to play in his fourth World Cup and will be one of the most experienced players in Qatar. Suarez has scored seven career World Cup goals and has made three consecutive knockout stages with Uruguay. Also priced at +4000, don’t underestimate Suarez and Uruguay.
It’s somewhat shocking that the joint-Premier League Golden Boot winner is priced at +10000 odds. Heung-Min Son is one of the most underrated players in the world and the Tottenham man scored 23 non-penalty goals in 2021-22. South Korea is, understandably, underdogs to make a run but a vintage Son performance isn’t out of the question.
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