World Cup Top Scorer Odds: England's Harry Kane leads the Golden Boot market

World Cup Qatar 2022 begins in just over seven months time and the group draw was made last week meaning we have finalised fixtures and a Golden Boot market to look at. We've asked our man @OddsT3rrier to preview the leading contenders for this prestigious award and attempt to find some value for your ante post punts. 

The Favourites:

Harry Kane - 8/1

Country: England
Club: Tottenham
International Apps: 69
International Goals: 49
Club Apps: 438
Club Goals: 259
World Cup Finals Goals: 6

Harry Kane was the main beneficiary from an extremely generous draw for 5th seeds England. Games against Iran and US are first up, followed by a match against the winners of the last European play-off qualifier, which will be the winner of Wales against either Scotland or Ukraine. Without being disrespectful if you had asked Gareth Southgate pre-draw for his preferred group and this wouldn't have been far off his selections. Kane should get plenty of chances against those three sides.

The 28-year-old Tottenham star started the season in terrible form after his prospective summer move to Man City fell through, scoring just one goal in his first 13 games in the Premier League. However, Kane has answered all doubters in spectacular style, notching 11 goals in his last 16 appearances and is closing in on Alan Shearer's Premier League leading scorer record. He has also scored regularly for England recently and scored four goals after a slow start at Euro 2020. He needs just five more to surpass Wayne Rooney as his country's leading scorer. He may well have passed that total by the time we get to Qatar. 

Kylian Mbappé - 8/1

Country: France
Club: Paris Saint Germain
International Apps: 54
International Goals: 26
Club Apps: 269
Club Goals: 187
World Cup Finals Goals: 4

Another man who was the subject of on-off transfer speculation during the summer was PSG's Kylian Mbappé who eventually remained in Paris after they turned down a huge bid from Real Madrid. The 23-year-old's contract expires at the end of this season and he will be able to walk away on a free transfer. It may well be that the future star of world football may be playing for a different club when Qatar 2022 rolls around. We have covered Mbappé next club options here. 

If Mbappé does a u-turn and remains at PSG then that will be down to his supreme form; he already has 28 goals this season for the club and scored 42 the season before. He is without a doubt the quickest striker on this list and his sheer pace and devastating finishing will make him a real contender for this trophy, assuming France go deep in the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo - 14/1

Country: Portugal
Club : Manchester United
International Apps: 185
International Goals: 115
Club Apps: 927
Club Goals: 692
World Cup Finals Goals: 7

Our next contender needs no introduction. Cristiano Ronaldo returned for his second spell at Old Trafford in September and whilst it hasn't been the dream return he was hoping for, he has still managed to keep firing the goals in - 12 in just 21 starts. In doing so he reached the 800-goal milestone for club and country - a phenomenal amount. At 37, Ronaldo's future is definitely up in the air, with rumours abounding that he may leave the Manchester club in the summer, if they fail to secure European football. 

After qualification was secured with a comfortable playoff win over North Macedonia, Ronaldo will line up at his 5th World Cup. It's a tournament he has underperformed in, scoring just seven goals in those four previous tournaments. In comparison, he has scored 14 in the European Championships. Will this be the tournament he finally grabs a World Cup golden boot?

Lionel Messi - 16/1

Country: Argentina
Club : Paris Saint Germain
International Apps: 160
International Goals: 81
Club Apps: 805
Club Goals: 680
World Cup Finals Goals: 6

Another man needing no introduction is Ronaldo's long-time nemesis Lionel Messi. The diminutive wizard continues to astound on the world football stage and in August finally left Barcelona for PSG. The 34-year-old has had a slow start to life in Paris, scoring just three times in 17 Ligue 1 appearances. He did continue his ridiculous Champions League record, however, notching five in just seven starts. Oh, and picked up his seventh Ballon d'Or.

Messi achieved a lifetime ambition in July, lifting a major tournament for the first time with his country, winning the Copa America with a 1-0 win over fierce rivals Brazil. Can he make it two in two for Argentina with a victory in Qatar? They are a 10/1 shot to do so. Messi only scored once at Russia in 2018 after four at Brazil in 2014 so will be hoping for a better return this time in a group including Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland. You wouldn't bet against him doing it. 

Other contenders:

Romelu Lukaku - 16/1

Country: Belgium
Club : Chelsea
International Apps: 101
International Goals: 68
Club Apps: 543
Club Goals: 263
World Cup Finals Goals: 5

The 28-year-old has had a season to forget after re-signing with Chelsea, scoring just five goals in 20 league appearances. He has however, continued to bag at National level and has some serious firepower alongside him.

Karim Benzema - 17/1

Country: France
Club : Real Madrid
International Apps: 94
International Goals: 36
Club Apps: 742
Club Goals: 379
World Cup Finals Goals: 3

Benzema has a fairly average record for his country but is ridiculously prolific at club level. He displayed his proven world-class ability when scoring a second half hat trick to knock PSG out of the Champions League last month. 

Neymar - 20/1

Country: Brazil
Club: Paris Saint Germain
International Apps: 117
International Goals: 71
Club Apps: 458
Club Goals: 269
World Cup Finals Goals: 6

Neymar continues to frustrate and delight in equal quantities at PSG. He has recently been getting booed by his own fans after this shock omission from the Champions League. He has a great record at international level however, and with no 1 ranked Brazil the favourites for the tournament, he could be a great value E/W bet. 

Memphis Depay - 25/1

Country: Netherlands
Club: Barcelona
International Apps: 77
International Goals: 39
Club Apps: 385
Club Goals: 143
World Cup Finals Goals: 2

Depay earnt himself a move to Barca after a stellar season in France for Lyon last season and is finally looking like the player Manchester United thought they were getting back in 2015. The 28-year-old is ready to shine on the world stage.

Antoine Griezmann - 33/1

Country: France
Club: Atlético Madrid
International Apps: 104
International Goals: 42
Club Apps: 587
Club Goals: 228
World Cup Finals Goals: 4

The classy left-footer returned to Atleti back in August on a season-long loan and whilst he's not been as prolific as in the past, he has scored some extremely important goals in the Champions League, taking Madrid to the Quarter Final stages.