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France and Norway, both unbeaten with two wins, will clash in Boston to decide the Group I winner at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The spotlight is on Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, who have four goals each and are chasing the Golden Boot. While France boast a formidable squad and defense, Norway will rely on Haaland and Martin Odegaard to pull off an upset.

Boston: France will aim to stamp their authority on Group I when they take on Norway in their final group fixture at Gillette Stadium on Friday. Both sides head into the encounter with two wins from two, meaning the victor will claim top spot in the group. A draw would see France finish at the summit courtesy of a superior goal difference.

Simultaneously, in Toronto, Senegal, and Iraq will square off to battle for third place in the same group. Under the tournament's expanded format, the best eight third-placed teams from the 12 groups will advance to the Round of 32 alongside the top two finishers. Securing a group victory remains highly prized, as it typically guarantees a matchup against a third-placed side, easing the path into the pre-quarterfinals.

Mbappe vs. Haaland: The Golden Boot race ignites

Didier Deschamps’ managed side has cruised through the tournament so far, brushing aside Senegal 3-1 and Iraq 3-0 without looking troubled. Kylian Mbappe has been the focal point of an ominous frontline that includes Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, and Michael Olise. Mbappe marked his 100th international cap against Iraq with his second brace of the tournament, taking his tally to four goals. He has scored 16 goals in his three World Cups so far and can go past Miroslav Klose with one goal and even Lionel Messi with a hat-trick. 

Norway opened its campaign with a commanding 4-1 win over Iraq before scrapping past Senegal 3-2. Erling Haaland, matching Mbappe with four goals of his own, remains the talisman for the Scandinavian side in his debut World Cup. The battle between the two modern icons introduces a thrilling subplot to Friday's game as the race for the Golden Boot intensifies. For now, Argentina’s Lionel Messi leads the standings with five goals.

Both players lay claim to being their respective countries’ all-time top scorers, with Mbappe scoring 60 international goals compared to Haaland’s 59. The Norwegian can at least take solace in having played far fewer games than his French counterpart, with his 59 goals coming in just 52 matches, compared with Mbappe’s 100 games.

Norway manager Stale Solbakken acknowledged that individual honours will require a deep tournament run. “It’s easier to win the Golden Boot when you play for France or Argentina, but we’ll try to give Erling more games and more help in the coming matches," Solbakken said following the victory over Senegal. "He’s on fire, and I’m very happy that he can score like this on the biggest stage.”