The Golden Boot race at the 2026 FIFA World Cup just got tighter. Germany's Kai Havertz scored twice in his side's 7-1 thrashing of Curaçao on Saturday, pulling level with USA's Folarin Balogun at the top of the scoring charts.

Balogun had set the early pace on Friday. The 25-year-old Monaco striker scored twice in the first half of the United States' 4-1 win over Paraguay in their opening Group D match at Los Angeles Stadium. Those goals made him the first American to score multiple times in a World Cup match since 1930.

But Havertz wasn't about to let the American enjoy the spotlight alone. The former Chelsea and Arsenal forward opened his World Cup account from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time against Curaçao. He added his second in the 88th minute to complete the rout and join Balogun on two goals.

Both players have zero assists so far. Balogun has played 77 minutes; Havertz has played the full 90 in Germany's opener.

"Havertz drew level with the American after netting twice in Germany's dominant Group stage win," the Vanguard News report noted.

A long list of players are hot on their heels with one goal each. The chasing pack includes Giovanni Reyna (USA), Cyle Larin (Canada), Raúl Jiménez (Mexico), Vinícius Júnior (Brazil), and Breel Embolo (Switzerland), among others.

With 48 teams in this expanded World Cup, many sides haven't even played their first match yet. The standings are expected to shift dramatically in the coming days as more group games unfold.

Germany's seven-goal win over Curaçao has already provided the first major shake-up. Havertz's brace is a statement of intent from a German side that has traditionally produced Golden Boot winners.

For Balogun, the challenge is clear: he'll need to keep scoring to stay ahead of a hungry field. The USA's next group game could give him a chance to regain sole possession of the lead.

The adidas Golden Boot is awarded to the tournament's top scorer. If tied on goals, assists break the tie, then minutes played (fewer minutes is better). Right now, Balogun and Havertz are deadlocked on every metric.

  • Folarin Balogun (USA): 2 goals, 0 assists, 77 minutes played
  • Kai Havertz (Germany): 2 goals, 0 assists, 90 minutes played
  • 17 other players have scored 1 goal so far
  • Germany beat Curaçao 7-1 in their Group stage opener
  • USA beat Paraguay 4-1 in their Group D opener
  • Balogun is the first USA player with multiple goals in a World Cup match since 1930