While most footballers dream of winning a World Cup, the next best thing for a striker is the Golden Boot — the award given to the player who scores the most goals in the tournament.
At the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, USWNT star Megan Rapinoe won the Golden Boot after netting six goals, including a penalty in a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands in the final.
This time around, Rapinoe isn’t the favourite, making way for a different crop of players to make their mark on international football.
This year, there are plenty of athletes from across the globe who could help their country to national and international glory.
So, who will lead the scoreboard in Australia and New Zealand? We’ve narrowed it down to seven contenders.
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Alex Morgan, USA
Odds to win the Golden Boot: +501
Unsurprisingly, Alex Morgan is one of the top picks to win the award this summer. In the NWSL last season, the 34-year-old scored 15 goals in 17 games for the San Diego Wave, which earned her the league’s Golden Boot. For her country, she’s scored 121 goals in 207 appearances and is in top form heading into this year’s World Cup.
At the 2019 World Cup, Morgan scored the same amount of goals as Rapinoe. However, Morgan missed out on the honour due to having fewer assists than her teammate. This time around, she’ll want to win the Golden Boot for herself.
Sophia Smith, USA
Odds to win the Golden Boot: +652
Sophia Smith is another American who is favoured to win the Boot. Regarded as the heir to Morgan and Rapinoe, Smith has scored 12 goals in 30 appearances for her country, and she’ll look to add to her tally this tournament.
The 22-year-old, who plays for the Portland Thorns, is currently the NWSL’s top scorer with 10 goals. Last year, Smith became the NWSL’s youngest-ever MVP. Despite being younger than other Golden Boot favourites this tournament, her ability to score and create chances is just as good as seasoned veterans.
Rachel Daly, England
Odds to win the Golden Boot: +1002
With Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead and captain Leah Willamson out with injury, the Lionesses will look to Rachel Daly in their quest for the World Cup. In the 2022-23 WSL season, the Aston Villa attacker scored 22 goals in 22 games, winning her the club’s first women’s Golden Boot.
For her country, the 31-year-old has netted 13 goals in 69 caps. While she hasn’t been England’s most prolific scorer in the past, Daly is currently playing the best football of her career and will look to carry that momentum into this summer’s tournament.
Esther Gonzalez, Spain
Odds to win the Golden Boot: +1002
Esther Gonzalez is one of the top goal-scorers in Liga F. For Real Madrid this past season, the 30-year-old recorded 16 goals in 27 matches and solidified her spot as a tried-and-true forward.
While many people see her teammate Alexia Putellas as the main attacking threat, the 2021 and 2022 Ballon d’Or winner suffered an ACL injury last year. As she recently returned to the pitch, Putellas might not be back to full form. That’s where Gonzalez comes into play.
Sam Kerr, Australia
Odds to win the Golden Boot: +1203
Sam Kerr is undoubtedly the face of this year’s World Cup. She’s Australian football’s all-time leading scorer (both men’s and women’s) with 63 goals in 121 appearances. On home soil, the 29-year-old’s contributions will be crucial to Australia’s success if they want to make a deep run against tough international competition.
Additionally, Kerr is used to winning Golden Boot awards. She’s won the honour in two different leagues every year for the past five years — 2021-22 and 2020-21 for Chelsea (WSL), and in 2019, 2018 and 2017 for Sky Blue FC and the Chicago Red Stars (NWSL). Will she be able to do it again this World Cup?
Alexandra Popp, Germany
Odds to win the Golden Boot: +1403
Although injuries have plagued Alexandra Popp’s career, they haven’t stopped her from scoring goals. At the 2022 Euros, the 32-year-old scored the second-highest number of goals, despite being unavailable for the final. In the German shirt, she’s netted 62 goals in 128 caps.
At the club level, Popp was the Frauen-Bundesliga’s Golden Boot winner this past season. She found space against the opponent’s defenders to get the ball in the net and will attempt to do the same this World Cup.
Eugénie Le Sommer, France
Odds to win the Golden Boot: +1403
After a two-year break from the sport, Eugénie Le Sommer is back in a French kit. The 34-year-old is France’s all-time leading goal-scorer with eight Champions League titles to her name, so she’s used to getting the ball in the net in high-pressure situations.
In previous World Cups, the Lyon star has scored five goals thanks to her energy, aggression and lightning pace. This time around, she’ll hope to help France win their first World Cup from the frontline.
(Listed odds above via Sports Interaction as of Sunday evening and subject to change.)
