Unlike the outright World Cup market, choosing the top goalscorer at the tournament does not necessarily require you to focus solely on the big nations. Here are the key elements to consider:
- Big-Name Strikers: Highly-rated strikers often do well at the World Cup. Kane, Miroslav Klose, Ronaldo and Gary Lineker are amongst the previous winners of the Golden Boot.
- Recent Form: As with any football market, it can pay to follow form in the top scorer market. For instance, Kane scored 41 goals in 48 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur during the 2017/18 season and took that form into the World Cup.
- Draw: The World Cup draw can play a crucial role in who finishes as top scorer. For example, Colombia’s favourable draw in 2014 helped James Rodriguez win the award despite his team only reaching the quarter-finals.
Statistics
As we have already mentioned, Kane (2018) and Rodriguez (2014) have been the top scorers in the last two editions of the World Cup.
Their six-goal tally has been a popular winning total over the years, with eight of the last eleven Golden Boot winners claiming the award with six goals.
German players have fared well during the 21st century, with Klose and Thomas Muller each recording first and second place finishes in the top scorer rankings during that period.
Just Fontaine’s 13-goal haul for France in 1958 is unlikely to be beaten as modern defenders are more adept at making things difficult for forwards.
Rules
Any goals scored during the 90 minutes or extra-time count towards a player’s final tally in the top scorer ranking at the World Cup. However, goals scored in a penalty shoot-out are not included.
If players are tied at the end of the tournament, FIFA uses a series of tie-breakers to determine the final outcome.
These include who has scored fewer goals from penalties, the player with more assists and the player who has played the least amount of time.