Harry Kane of England reacts after scoring the 2-0 during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group G preliminary round soccer match between England and Panama in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 24 June 2018. EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV
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The 2018 World Cup is heading into its final stages and this year's Golden Boot winner will have more goals than the winner in 2014.
James Rodríguez bagged six in Brazil, but Harry Kane has already matched that.
It's worth noting a few of the big names no longer in contention. Cristiano Ronaldo (four goals) and Diego Costa (three) are out of the running after being eliminated.
These are the players still in with a chance and the goals that have put them there.
Harry Kane (England)
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/h_54463541.jpg "Harry Kane of England celebrates scoring on penalty the 1-0 lead during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Colombia and England in Moscow, Russia, 03 July 2018. EPA-EFE/ALBERTO ESTEVEZ")
Hat-trick hero in England's opening match, he's added three more since then, averaging a goal every 46 minutes. Remarkably, those six goals have come from eight shots. Three of those have been penalties, but it's not how you get them that matters. Not if you're English, anyway.
A selection of Harry Kane's goals at the 2018 World Cup
https://twitter.com/SuperSportTV/status/1008828071787442176
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/h_54419478.jpg "Romelu Lukaku of Belgium celebrates after scoring a goal during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group G preliminary round soccer match between Belgium and Panama in Sochi, Russia, 18 June 2018. EPA-EFE/FRIEDEMANN VOGEL")
Four goals at an average of one every 60 minutes at the World Cup so far. He scored a brace against both Tunisia and Panama before sitting out the final group game against England. He failed to add to his tally in the barking mad knockout against Japan, but did set up the dummy run that helped Nacer Chadli clinch the late winner.
Lukaku's goals at the 2018 World Cup
https://twitter.com/HotSpotSoccer/status/1008750139555495936
https://twitter.com/HotSpotSoccer/status/1008751128148783104
https://twitter.com/HotSpotSoccer/status/1010499491819081730
https://twitter.com/HotSpotSoccer/status/1010505906625400834
And, for good measure, that incredible dummy run
https://twitter.com/MilanOutLoud/status/1014011078152351744
Artem Dzyuba and Denis Cheryshev (Russia)
Denis Cheryshev of Russia (R) celebrates with teammate Artem Dzyuba after scoring the 4-0 during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group A preliminary round soccer match between Russia and Saudi Arabia in Moscow, Russia, 14 June 2018. EPA-EFE/FELIPE TRUEBA
Both Russians have three goals, but Cheryshev hasn't scored since the hosts hammered Egypt in the group stage. Dzyuba, though, found the equaliser against Spain that would eventually help propel Russia into the quarter-finals of a dream home competition.
A selection of Dzyuba and Cheryshev's goals at the 2018 World Cup
https://twitter.com/SuperSportTV/status/1007321907669098497
Kylian Mbappé (France)
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/h_54396985.jpg "Kylian Mbappe of France reacts during the International Friendly soccer match between France and the USA in Lyon, France, 09 June 2018. EPA-EFE/ALEX MARTIN")
A revelation to the uninitiated, Mbappé became France's youngest scorer at a World Cup and the first teenager since Pele to score two goals in a match at the tournament. Packed with pace, fleet of foot and a whirlwind around defenders.
His first goal of the tournament came against Peru in the group stage before he dazzled with a brace in the last 16 against Argentina.
A selection of Mbappé's goals at the 2018 World Cup
https://twitter.com/HotSpotSoccer/status/1013081313174224897
Edinson Cavani (Uruguay)
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/h_54454488.jpg "Edinson Cavani of Uruguay celebrates scoring the 2-1 during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Uruguay and Portugal in Sochi, Russia, 30 June 2018.EPA-EFE/FRIEDEMANN VOGEL")
His double against Portugal, plus the back and forth he set up with Luis Suarez, stands out as a highlight of the tournament so far. Both were clutch goals and his tally so far is already a marked improved from his single strike in each of the last two World Cups, in South Africa and Brazil. And both in losing efforts to boot.
A selection of Cavani's goals at the 2018 World Cup
https://twitter.com/SuperSportTV/status/1013151135610179584
watch all the goals of the 2018 World Cup on Fifa's YouTube channel. DM