The pursuit of perfection in football's greatest stage is a tantalising tale of what ifs and near misses. And no one knows this better than Lionel Messi, who watched his record seven-goal haul at the 2022 World Cup evaporate like a mirage on the Qatar desert sands as Kylian Mbappé conjured an astonishing hat-trick to snatch the Golden Boot.
But Messi's heartbreak is not alone; he shares the unwanted distinction with Brazilian legend Jairzinho, who in 1970, scored seven goals as Brazil lifted the World Cup, only to be pipped at the post by West Germany's Gerd Müller – a goal-scoring machine that summer, netting an incredible 10.
Other notable near misses abound. In 1954, Max Morlock, Erich Probst, and Josef Hügi each scored six goals, but Hungary's Sándor Kocsis stole the show with his record-breaking 11. And in 1958, the likes of Pelé and Helmut Rahn both reached six-goal territory, only to be left trailing in the wake of France's Just Fontaine – a masterclass act that yielded an astonishing 13 goals.
The women's game has also witnessed its share of agonising near misses. In 1991, Heidi Mohr scored seven goals for Germany, but Michelle Akers-Stahl's 10 goals proved too much to handle. More recently, Ellen White and Alex Morgan both finished with six goals at the 2019 tournament in France, only for Megan Rapinoe to pip them to the post due to her superior assist tally and playing time.
One of the most infamous near misses belongs to Rob Rensenbrink, who in 1978 saw his stoppage-time shot hit the post, potentially altering the outcome of the final itself had it gone in. The Dutchman's six goals were just one shy of the Golden Boot, which went to Argentina's Mario Kempes.