Lionel Messi’s seven goals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar were insufficient to secure the Golden Boot, despite the Argentina captain ultimately lifting the trophy. Kylian Mbappé claimed the individual prize with eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final that edged him ahead of Messi in the standings.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward’s late surge denied Messi a unique place in history, leaving the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner sharing an unusual record with Brazil legend Jairzinho. Both players scored seven goals at a single World Cup finals without winning the Golden Boot, the highest tally for any player to miss out on the award.
Shared misery at the summit
Jairzinho’s seven goals during Brazil’s triumphant 1970 campaign in Mexico were overshadowed by West Germany’s Gerd Müller, who netted ten times to claim the golden shoe. Müller’s haul included two hat-tricks as his side finished third.
High-scoring tournaments have produced several near-misses. At the 1954 finals in Switzerland, which averaged 5.38 goals per game, three players – Max Morlock of West Germany, Austria’s Erich Probst and Swiss striker Josef Hügi – each scored six times but trailed Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis by five goals. Four years later in Sweden, Pelé and Helmut Rahn managed six goals each, yet finished seven behind Just Fontaine’s remarkable total of 13.
The narrowest miss belongs to Dutch forward Rob Rensenbrink, who scored five goals at the 1978 tournament in Argentina. A stoppage-time shot in the final struck the post; had it gone in, Rensenbrink would have claimed the Golden Boot with six goals and potentially the World Cup itself, as Mario Kempes would not have had the opportunity to score his extra-time winner for the hosts.
Women’s World Cup heartbreak
The pattern extends to the women’s tournament. Germany striker Heidi Mohr scored seven goals at the 1991 World Cup in China, yet finished three behind American Michelle Akers-Stahl, who claimed the Golden Boot with ten goals.
More recently at the 2019 finals in France, England’s Ellen White and American Alex Morgan both finished with six goals before the final. However, Megan Rapinoe’s converted penalty in the final – won by Morgan’s foul – gave her the Golden Boot on assists after tying on goals and minutes played.
Teams without a point
While individual strikers have suffered near-misses, several national teams have endured far worse fortunes. Ten sides have competed at World Cup finals without registering a single point.
El Salvador hold the most unwanted record, having lost all six of their matches across the 1970 and 1982 tournaments with a goal difference of minus 21. Their 1982 campaign began with a 10-1 defeat to Hungary before narrower losses to Belgium and Argentina.
Haiti, Iraq and Panama share the next worst record, each having played six World Cup matches and lost all six. The three nations all made their second pointless appearances at recent finals, maintaining their unhappy traditions.