GOAL looks at the top contenders for the Golden Boot at the CWC, with some of the biggest names worldwide in the mix
No one knows exactly what to expect from the Club World Cup. Will strongest lineups be deployed? What will the tempo be? The quality of the product is up in the air.
But one thing is certain: there will be goals. There can't be. Put some of the best strikers in the world in one tournament, ask them to play against a bunch of teams with slightly weaker defenses, and the result should be the ball hitting the back of the net. Often.
Who will actually win it? Certainly, Kylian Mbappe is the favorite – just by nature of showing up. But Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, and a few others will all be strutting their stuff in the States this summer. Talent in front of goal is not lacking .
GOAL US looks at the top contenders for the Golden Boot at the Club World Cup.
Getty Images SportHarry Kane
Kane missed time due to injury, strolled through a few games, and had a humming attack around him, and still managed to walk the Bundesliga golden boot race last year, averaging nearly a goal per game and beating second placed Patrik Schick by five goals. This is, of course, Harry Kane's thing: he scores you goals – it's up to you to do what you want with them.
If these were any other Bundesliga games, you'd back Kane to win the whole thing. And he will certainly bang them in against the likes of Auckland City, Boca Juniors and Benfica. But he also has a pretty miserable record in big games, and has a knack of disappearing in knockout football. Odds are that he will be the tournament's top scorer at the end of the group stage. The key will be keeping it going after that.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesKylian Mbappe
Did Mbappe's goals mean anything this season? Sure, the Frenchman finished as Europe's top scorer, bagged a hat-trick in the Clasico, and spent a lot of time looking very happy celebrating. But after Madrid went trophyless, it all looked like a man content to be celebrating alone, enjoying individual success rather than team-wide accomplishment.
That, of course, has been the story of much of Mbappe's career. He is an immensely effective goalscorer, but he should have a more lush trophy cabinet. Few can refute that.
And so that same player will arrive at the CWC, no doubt hungry for goals. It will make for captivating viewing. Odds are, Mbappe will score a fair few. The question is: can Madrid remain in the competition long enough for it to matter in his golden boot quest? If they win it, then Mbappe will have enough time to bag the goals he needs. If not, it's up in the air.
Getty ImagesErling Haaland
Haaland endured something of a disappointing second season with Man City. He picked up a few knocks, Pep Guardiola's side lost their attacking flow, and the Norwegian didn't really know where he fit in among it all. There was talk that City are better off without him.
That's nonsense. In a well-balanced system, he turns a very good team into an unstoppable force. Issue is, that takes tactical tweaks and, crucially, time.
If City were in form, Haaland would be a lock here. Remember, this is the guy who broke the Premier League goalscoring record without really looking like he was trying in his debut campaign in England. Instead, this seems a lot like a team in transition, and a No. 9 still figuring out where he fits in.
No one really knows what to expect from the Cityzens – which leaves Haaland's golden boot prospects equally uncertain.
Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowImagnLuis Suarez
One last time, eh lads? For the memories, yeah? Get the Uruguayan a few goals, feed him consistently. Remind the world, for a wonderful final few handful of fixtures, that Luis Suarez is one of the best strikers to ever kick a ball.
Issue is, Suarez can't really move anymore – but still tries to play like a younger version of himself. The Uruguayan hasn't adapted to MLS in the right way, which is ironic considering he found the net 20 times in his debut season in the league.
This campaign, though, his age has shown. He has scored just five in 13 games, and even if the seven assists make for good reading, Suarez's legs are catching up to him. That said, this is tournament football, and a smarter Miami could offer a different system.
A Suarez simply asked to function as a poacher could yet be deadly, and if Miami are to do anything, he will have to adapt his game. If he does, there could be some individual silverware as a reward.