World Cup Top Goalscorer Predictions: Can Kane fire England to glory?

The FIFA World Cup is now just a matter of days away, and we are still looking for last-minute value across the markets. We've given our predictions of tournament winners and dark horses, but what about the goalscorers?

From Kylian Mbappe to Lionel Messi, the best in the world are all at this tournament. But who will take home the Golden Boot? Find our World Cup Top Goalscorer Predictions down below. 

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New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get £30 in Sports Free Bets & £20 in Bet Builder Free Bets within 24 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs Apply.

Simon: Harry Kane @ 6/1

"Put on a proper suit, do up your tie, and SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM".

As you can quite guess, I'm full of World Cup spirit and right behind the Three Lions as they prepare for another enthralling World Cup campaign.  I think England are set to go reasonably far in North America, with the semi-finals surely the minimum target for Thomas Tuchel and his talented side. He has been brought in to get them over the line in a final, so an early exit would be rather humiliating.

Anyway, back to the positivity. I think this England squad, without Cole Palmer and Phil Foden, and with quick wingers galore, is built to suit Harry Kane. He is England's record goalscorer with 79 goals in 113 caps. Surprisingly, he is now just 12 appearances behind Peter Shilton, England's all-time record appearance maker. Kane has got 70 goals in competitive matches, the most apps at major tournaments and already has a World Cup Golden Boot to his name in 2018.

Whereas France, Spain and Portugal are likely to share their goals around - England are wholly reliant on the Bayern Munich man. He's coming into this tournament with 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern this season, and with players working to get him the ball - this team appears to be perfectly set up to provide him with ample chances to score goals. He's also on penalties for the Three Lions, and I think he should rack up the goals throughout the tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo I think will rack up the goals in the group, but beyond that I'm not too sure. Kane can outscore the rest of the competition in North America.

Outside shout: Brahim Diaz for Morocco (100/1).

World Cup Predictions

Conor: Kylian Mbappe @ 11/2

I'm backing the favourite, but for good reason. Kylian Mbappe is no longer that young superstar. He's 27 now and entering his peak years. This could have dire consequences for the defenders facing him at the World Cup.

The France striker has a phenomenal record at the World Cup finals, with 12 goals in 14 appearances. He's only appeared at the previous two tournaments but is already four shy of the record set by Germany's Miroslav Klose in 2014. The former centre-forward went to four World Cups with Die Nationalelf.

Mbappe is France's main man and the headline of a star-studded forward line for Les Bleus. He's going to be surrounded by a lot of talented players so he should have plenty of chances fall his way in North America.

France have made the final at the last two tournaments, so it's logical to assume Mbappe will get a good amount of matches this summer to score goals and retain the Golden Boot, having bagged eight goals in Qatar four years ago.

Mbappe is coming into the World Cup off the back of an impressive individual campaign with Real Madrid. The attacker scored 42 goals across 44 matches in all competition, so he is looking potent in front of goal.

His numbers for France of late have been consistent, too, with eight goals in his last nine appearances. He's unquestionably the one to beat in the Golden Boot race, but I have a feeling this year's race will an interesting one to follow.

Outside shout: Erling Haaland for Norway (14/1).

Nick: Raphinha @ 28/1

Kane? Boring. Mbappe? Boring. Let's have a little look further down the list, and find some value, shall we?

I'm stuck between a couple of South Americans, Brazil's Raphinha and Argentina's Julian Alvarez, both plying their trade in Spain with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, respectively. One, Raphinha, is more of a winger/attacking midfielder, while the other, Alvarez, predominantly plays as a number nine, although he can drift out wide and drop deeper as a 10.

Raphinha fits the bill as he was Brazil's leading marksman in qualifying with five goals, with three of those strikes coming from the penalty spot, and he's scored with his last 17 penalties, last missing for Vitoria Guimaraes in a 1-0 defeat to CD Tondela in December 2017.

He found the net 21 times in 33 club appearances last season and has struck 11 times in 38 caps for the Selecao, so at 28/1, he looks a good bet in the Top Goalscorer market, particularly with Haiti alongside them in Group C.

Alvarez, meanwhile, scored 20 goals in 49 games for Atletico last term, and has notched 14 in 51 caps for his country. With Messi supplying him, Alvarez should receive plenty of chances to score in North America, but he's unlikely to be on penalty duties as long as Argentina's captain is on the pitch, and his international record hasn't been great over the last few years.

Between 2021 and 2022, Alvarez scored seven times in 19 games for his country, but has struck just seven goals since the start of 2023, despite making 13 more appearances (32).

Therefore, I'm leaning towards Raphinha at 28/1 over Alvarez at 25/1.

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