Oliver Giroud, Bukayo Saka and Richarlison Lead Early Race for Golden Boot at 2022 World Cup in Qatar

• France’s Oliver Giroud is one of the early favourites for the golden ball award at the 2022 FIFA World Cup following his stellar start to the competition
• The France forward is among 6 players including Bukayo Saka of England and Brazil’s Richarlison who have scored more than once at the tournament
• England captain Harry Kane won the Golden Boot in 2018 with his six goals guiding the Three Lions to the semi-finals in Russia four years ago

Oliver Giroud leads the race for the 2022 FIFA World Cup golden boot award after the first round of matches, after netting a brace in France’s 4-1 victory over Australia.

Giroud, who failed to muster a single goal when France won the World Cup in 2018, has started the 2022 edition on a good note after the injury ruled Karim Benzema out of the competition.

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Also competing for the golden boot award with Giroud are England’s Bukayo Saka and Brazil’s Richarlison, who also scored twice each in their first game.

Spain’s Ferran Torres, Ecuador’s Enner Valencia and Iran’s Mehdi Taremi complete the list of players who have scored twice in the ongoing World Cup in Qatar.

England’s Harry Kane won the golden boot award at the 2018 World Cup four years ago, after leading the Three Lions to the semi-finals in Russia.

World Cup golden boot record

Meanwhile, French striker Just Fontaine holds the record for the most goals scored in a single FIFA World Cup tournament, since the award was first issued by FIFA in 1982, Metro UK reports.

Fontaine managed an incredible 13 goals during the 1958 tournament in Sweden, becoming the only man to have managed that goal tally in a single tournament to date.

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The likes of Giroud, Saka - and possibly Ronaldo and Messi - will hope to break Fontaine’s record at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Giroud makes bold record claim

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that French forward Olivier Giroud reckons he is getting better with age, following his record-equalling milestone against Australia.

Giroud notched a brace against the Socceroos, as the defending world champions came from a goal down to begin their title defence on a winning note.

His 50th and 51st goals were scored either side of half time, ensuring the AC Milan striker drew level with Thierry Henry at the top of France's all-time top goal scorer list.