Do Goals in World Cup Third Place Play-Off Count Toward the Golden Boot?

World Cup Third Place Play-Off and Golden Boot Goals

The World Cup third place play-off has been part of almost every tournament since its introduction in 1934. Goals scored in this match contribute to players' total goal counts and influence the race for the Golden Boot.

This fixture missed a few editions: it was absent during the canceled 1942 and 1946 tournaments due to World War II, and also in 1950, when the final stage used a round-robin format instead of knockout matches. The match returned in 1954 and has been played ever since.

Players often find this game challenging, grappling with the disappointment of missing out on the final. England’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, once commented that no player looks forward to this fixture.

Golden Boot Hopefuls Can Still Benefit

Since goals here count toward the Golden Boot, players like Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Harry Kane, and Jude Bellingham can still improve their chances of winning the award at the 2026 tournament, even though France and England bowed out in the semi-finals.

Heading into the final two matches, these four are among seven players with five or more goals scored so far. England and France will face off in the third-place play-off, followed by the final between Spain and Argentina.

Current Top Scorers and Context

Mbappe and Lionel Messi share the top spot with eight goals each. Messi leads the race because he has one more assist. Norway’s Erling Haaland has seven goals but won’t add more after Norway’s quarter-final exit.

Bellingham and Kane both have six goals, while Dembele and Mikel Oyarzabal from Spain each have five.

How strongly England and France line up for the third-place game might decide who claims the Golden Boot.

In 2018, when England played Belgium for third place, then-manager Gareth Southgate made five changes to the squad from the semi-final loss to Croatia. Kane started but didn’t score.

History of Golden Boot Winners Scoring in Third Place Matches

Seven previous Golden Boot winners have scored in the third-place play-off, and four needed those goals to secure their awards:

• Thomas Muller (Germany, 2010)
• Davor Suker (Croatia, 1998)
• Salvatore Schillaci (Italy, 1990)
• Leonidas (Brazil, 1938)

Others like Grzegorz Lato (Poland, 1974), Eusebio (Portugal, 1966), and Just Fontaine (France, 1958) also scored in third-place games but would have won the Golden Boot without those goals.