World Cup 2018: Golden Boot betting odds and contenders as Harry Kane leads Romelu Lukaku

Football

Tue July 10, 2018 · 6y ago

Harry Kane looks almost home and dry to collect the World Cup Golden Boot after Romelu Lukaku drew a blank against France.

Lukaku is still two goals behind Kane having failed to find the net against France and now just having the third place playoff left to play in Russia.

(Article & standings will be updated at the end of each day.)

Harry Kane (England) - 6 goals, 5 games

Sky Bet odds: 1/20 favourite

England's youngest ever World Cup captain got his campaign under way in dramatic fashion against Tunisia, heading a dramatic stoppage-time winner to get the ridiculously premature 'Football's Coming Home' party underway. He became the first Englishman since Gary Lineker in 1990 to score a brace at a World Cup but he went one better against Panama with a hat-trick to take his tally to five after just two games. He's only the third Englishman after Sir Geoff Hurst and Lineker to score a World Cup hat-trick and is now just one short of the latter's tournament record of six goals, which won him the Golden Boot in 1986. He was 6/1 before the Panama game and now he's rocketed to the top of the betting. Although, he was rested against Belgium and unable to add to his tally before the knockout stages, his odds have been continually cut into odds-on prices due to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa crashing out of the competition and Romelu Lukaku failing to score against Japan. That was only helped by his goal v Colombia, when he coolly dispatched a second-half penalty. He's now as short as 1/5 now that Neymar is out and Lukaku failed to score again in Belgium's famous victory over Brazil. Kane drew a blank against Sweden but will fancy his chances against Croatia and one more goal could well wrap it up.

🙌 That man Harry Kane!#ENG pic.twitter.com/OinkTRB0uh
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) July 3, 2018

Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) - 4 goals, 6 games

Sky Bet odds: 16/1

The Manchester United striker got off to a solid start with a brace against one of the weakest sides in the competition in Panama but then doubled his tally in their 5-2 thrashing of Tunisia, who were supposed to be much tougher. He was still available at 8/1 before kick-off but after becoming the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to score back-to-back World Cup braces, he initially went joint favourite with Ronaldo only for Kane's exploits against Panama to push him back down the charts. Like Kane, he was rested for the final group game and could not find an opening against Japan, instead playing a key role in Nacer Chadli's late winner. Lukaku was again the provider for Kevin De Bruyne's stunning goal against Brazil so he only has two games left to surpass Kane. A blank against France leaves him up against it in the third place play-off.

Romelu Lukaku has been in great form in front of goal for Belgium

Kylian Mbappe (France) – 3 goals, 6 games

Sky Bet odds: 50/1

Kylian Mbappe was 50/1 after ending the group stages with just one goal but showed the world just why he’s going to be one of the brightest stars of the game with a stunning brace in a 4-3 victory over Argentina. He became the first teenager to score twice in a World Cup game since Pele in the 1958 final but despite looking a major player in this market, he was unable to add to his tally against Uruguay and it's hard to see him scoring three more times in what will be two very tough matches to come. Played well against Belgium but no goals

😲👏 Kylian Mbappe has just become the first teenager to score two or more in a #WorldCup match since a certain Pele in the 1958 final!

🏆 What can this 19-year-old star achieve?!#WorldCup #FRAARG #FRA pic.twitter.com/fjlONDID7a
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) June 30, 2018

Antoine Griezmann (France) - 3 goals, 6 games

Sky Bet odds: 40/1

So much more was expected of Antoine Griezmann but a distracted start to the campaign due to his self indulgent social media videos about his future at Atletico Madrid didn’t help him fire out of the blocks. He now just has three goals – including two penalties – and it’s hard to see him challenge for this prestigious award unless he produces fireworks in the final.

Eden Hazard (Belgium) - 2 goals, 6 games

Sky Bet odds: 250/1

The Chelsea talisman produced a man-of-the-match performance in Belgium's 5-1 thumping of Tunisia as he opened his World Cup account with a brace. He's on the penalties but having failed to score against England, Japan and Brazil, it'll need a minor miracle for him to become top scorer with just one game to play.