World Cup Golden Boot Winners by Year: Every Top Scorer Since 1930
Quick answer: 22 editions (1930–2022) have a recorded Golden Boot / top scorer. Just Fontaine (1958) holds the record with 13 goals; Kylian Mbappé (2022) scored 8.
This hub links every dedicated [YYYY] World Cup Golden Boot winner article — goals, country, tournament context and FAQ for each edition.
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Golden Boot Winners Table (1930–2022)
| Year | Winner | Country | Goals | Deep dive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Guillermo Stábile | Argentina | 8 | 1930 Golden Boot |
| 1934 | Oldřich Nejedlý | Czechoslovakia | 5 | 1934 Golden Boot |
| 1938 | Leônidas | Brazil | 7 | 1938 Golden Boot |
| 1950 | Ademir | Brazil | 8 | 1950 Golden Boot |
| 1954 | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 11 | 1954 Golden Boot |
| 1958 | Just Fontaine | France | 13 | 1958 Golden Boot |
| 1962 | Multiple (6 players) | Various | 4 | 1962 Golden Boot |
| 1966 | Eusébio | Portugal | 9 | 1966 Golden Boot |
| 1970 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 10 | 1970 Golden Boot |
| 1974 | Grzegorz Lato | Poland | 7 | 1974 Golden Boot |
| 1978 | Mario Kempes | Argentina | 6 | 1978 Golden Boot |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Italy | 6 | 1982 Golden Boot |
| 1986 | Gary Lineker | England | 6 | 1986 Golden Boot |
| 1990 | Salvatore Schillaci | Italy | 6 | 1990 Golden Boot |
| 1994 | Oleg Salenko / Hristo Stoichkov | Russia / Bulgaria | 6 | 1994 Golden Boot |
| 1998 | Davor Šuker | Croatia | 6 | 1998 Golden Boot |
| 2002 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 8 | 2002 Golden Boot |
| 2006 | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 5 | 2006 Golden Boot |
| 2010 | Thomas Müller / David Villa / Wesley Sneijder / Diego Forlán | Various | 5 | 2010 Golden Boot |
| 2014 | James Rodríguez | Colombia | 6 | 2014 Golden Boot |
| 2018 | Harry Kane | England | 6 | 2018 Golden Boot |
| 2022 | Kylian Mbappé | France | 8 | 2022 Golden Boot |
Browse all-time scorers: World Cup top scorers.
Records & Milestones
| Record | Holder | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Most goals, one World Cup | Just Fontaine | 13 (1958) |
| Most recent high total | Kylian Mbappé | 8 (2022) |
| Shared Golden Boots | 1962, 1994, 2010 | Multiple players tied |
| First Golden Boot | Guillermo Stábile | 8 (1930) |
What Is the World Cup Golden Boot?
The Golden Boot (adidas Golden Boot since 1982) is awarded to the top goalscorer at each FIFA World Cup finals. Tiebreakers use assists and minutes played in modern editions. Before 1982, FIFA retrospectively recognised top scorers — this hub uses the standard historical list fans search for.
Not the same as: - Golden Ball — best player (e.g. Messi 2022) - Golden Glove — best goalkeeper - All-time World Cup goals — career totals across tournaments
Editions With Shared Top Scorer
- 1962: Six players on 4 goals (Garrincha, Vavá, Sánchez, Albert, Ivanov, Galić)
- 1994: Salenko and Stoichkov on 6
- 2010: Müller, Villa, Sneijder, Forlán on 5
Each has a dedicated article with full context.
Frequently Asked Questions
world cup golden boot winners by year
See the full table above — every edition from 1930 to 2022 with a linked article.
world cup golden boot winners list
22 winners (some shared). Stábile (1930) through Mbappé (2022).
who has won the most world cup golden boots
No player has won more than two outright Golden Boots in the modern era. Several legends — Pelé, Ronaldo, Müller — won once.
who scored the most goals in a single world cup
Just Fontaine — 13 goals for France at Sweden 1958.
1998 world cup golden boot winner
Davor Šuker (Croatia), six goals — full 1998 guide.