There are now fewer than 21 days until the World Cup 2018 kicks off. Thirty-two teams are primed and ready to battle it out for five weeks in Russia. Only one will emerge as the Jules Rimet trophy winner.
While betting on the World Cup 2018 winner is always a popular wager pre-tournament, choosing the event’s top scorer is too. The Golden Boot doesn’t always go to the world’s best player. To date, Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo have ever won the award.
In fact, the trophy has gone to players many wouldn’t have expected to win it before the World Cup kicked off. Despite not being household names before the tournament, past winners such as Thomas Mueller and James Rodriguez are now top players in soccer.
Who will win the World Cup Golden Boot award?
Lionel Messi +900
Lionel Messi is regarded as the best soccer player in the world today. He guided Argentina to the final in 2014, but the team was defeated by Germany in the finale. Messi scored four goals four years ago in Brazil. In three World Cup tournaments, Messi has scored just five times. Plenty of fans will be betting on him to win the Golden Boot.
Neymar +1000
Neymar is the main man for the World Cup favorites Brazil. The South Americans go into the tournament as +400 to win the event and Neymar is expected to be at the center of everything good the team does. The biggest problem could be his fitness. Neymar missed the last quarter of the club season with ankle and foot injuries. There are questions over whether he can stand up to the rigors of the five-week tournament.
Antoine Griezmann +1200
France’s Antoine Griezmann is the most in-form player heading in to the World Cup. Griezmann scored 29 goals in 48 matches for his club Atletico Madrid during the season. He has a very talented team behind him and Griezmann will get plenty of chances to score. He was also the Euro 2012 top scorer, so don’t be surprised if he tops the charts again. Griezmann is our special pick to win the Golden Boot.
Cristiano Ronaldo +1400
If Messi is the world’s best player, then Ronaldo is 1A, or vice versa. Portugal isn’t as talented as Messi’s Argentina and every goal Ronaldo gets will be down to his individual hard work. Portugal did shock everyone and win the Euro 2016 tournament, but there are doubts Portugal is good enough to win the World Cup. Ronaldo has played at three separate World Cup tournaments. He has scored one goal in each for a grand total of three. Plenty of bettors will wager on Ronaldo, but history does’t bode well for the forward to win the award.
Harry Kane +1600
Harry Kane heads to the World Cup as the captain of an underrated England team. Kane has a natural ability to score goals. He tallied 41 in 48 matches during the club season. Kane is in great form, and if England can get to the quarterfinals of the competition, he could win the Golden Boot. England was awful at the World Cup four years ago, but the team has improved under manager Gareth Southgate. Add in the fact that the team got a favorable group stage draw and Kane is a great wager to win the top scorer award.
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