Jude Bellingham's Golden Boot odds shot from a massive +10000 to a shocking +1300 in mere hours after his spectacular Saturday show, completely upending the race for the top scorer. This kid, man, he absolutely stole the show, dropping his second brace in as many games. We are talking about a player who became only the third English player ever to score six goals at a single World Cup. Not only that, Bellingham is the first player to score two or more goals in consecutive World Cup knockout stage games at the same tournament since Diego Maradona did it way back in 1986. That is some seriously elite company, right there.
The Big Guns Still Firing
While Bellingham is making history, the usual suspects are still going absolutely ballistic in what is truly a generational battle for the Golden Boot. Kylian Mbappé, with his goal in France's quarterfinal win over Morocco, just hit his 20th career World Cup goal. That is the second-most of any player in tournament history, and he did it in just his 20th match! He has already extended his own record with 12 knockout stage goals at the World Cup, more than anyone ever. Mbappé is also the first player to ever bag eight goals in two separate World Cups. What a machine, honestly. He is currently tied with Lionel Messi, leading the tournament with eight goals apiece. Seriously, these two are trading spectacular performances every game, each one-upping the other. And do not even get me started on Messi. The dude is still out there breaking records at 38 years old! With his hat trick against Algeria, Messi tied Miroslav Klose for the most goals in men's World Cup history with 16. He also became the oldest player to record a hat trick, passing Cristiano Ronaldo. He is now sitting on 21 career World Cup goals, an outright record for most goals by any man or woman in World Cup history. This tournament, he has scored eight of Argentina's 16 goals, and he became the first player since the 1960s to score in six straight knockout stage games. The only "hiccup" was not scoring in Argentina's quarterfinal win over Switzerland, which ended his incredible streak of nine straight World Cup games with a goal. Even with that, the man is an absolute legend, and he is still a major favorite for the Golden Boot, right behind Mbappé.Who Else Is In The Mix?
The Golden Boot odds board is absolutely electric right now, and it is shifting by the minute as these superstars shine. As of July 12, Mbappé is the favorite at -140, meaning you would bet $10 to win $17.14 total. Messi is close behind at +145, a $10 bet winning you $24.50. Then you have got Harry Kane at +1200, where $10 gets you $130, and our boy Jude Bellingham at +2500, a $10 bet bringing back a sweet $260. Looking at the tally, Mbappé and Messi both have eight goals. Erling Haaland is right there with seven. Kane and Bellingham both have six, while Ousmane Dembélé and Mikel Oyarzabal are tied with four. This is not just a two-man race anymore, is it? We are seeing a generational battle unfold before our eyes, a true brawl for the ages. With Mbappé and Messi continuing to one-up each other, and Bellingham throwing his name into the ring with historical, Maradona-level performances, the stakes are as high as they get. The next round of matches is going to be absolutely insane, with these titans duking it out for the ultimate prize. Who is going to pull ahead? Who is going to etch their name into history? We absolutely cannot wait to find out!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.