Lionel Messi sits on top of the pack after the group stage. He has a historic new World Cup record for goals in one tournament. He overcame every competitor in the group games. His tally puts him ahead by multiple goals. The lead is crystal‑clear now. He stays comfortably ahead of everyone else. Fans follow the chase closely.
Kylian Mbappé and France’s Ousmane Dembélé follow narrowly. Dembélé is moving up the list. Mbappé is chasing the all‑time World Cup scoring mark. The race will keep going into the knockout round. It could shift quickly.