Ronaldo, Messi, Kane: Who will win 2022 World Cup Golden Boot?

The draw for the 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage is now official.

And that means we can start better predicting how events at the festival of football out in Qatar will unfold - like who will win the prestigious Golden Boot award.

The group stage is the platform for strikers to get their tournaments up and running, as they will take on slightly easier opposition compared to the knockout rounds for the most part.

So, with the group stage draw complete, the odds for the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot accolade are starting to take shape.

Portugal talisman Cristiano Ronaldo is currently one of the top five favourites over on Paddy Power, while Argentina's Lionel Messi just misses out.

There's a clear favourite, though, and it's not one of France's superstar strike trio of Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann either...

The 26 favourites to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot

FRANKFURT, GERMANY - DECEMBER 5: The World Cup Trophy during the 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group Draw at the Messe Frankfurt on December 5, 2003 in Franfurt, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Joao Felix (Portugal) - 40/1

Phil Foden (England) - 40/1

Alvaro Morata (Spain) - 33/1

Raheem Sterling (England) - 33/1

Lucas Ocampos (Argentina) - 33/1

Timo Werner (Germany) - 33/1

Kai Havertz (Germany) - 33/1

Luis Suarez (Uruguay) - 33/1

Edinson Cavani (Uruguay) - 33/1

Vinicius Junior (Brazil) - 25/1

Serge Gnabry (Germany) - 25/1

Diogo Jota (Portugal) - 25/1

Ferran Torres (Spain) - 25/1

Fifa 22 FUTTIES: Ferran Torres — MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 06: Ferran Torres of Spain celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal during the UEFA Nations League group stage match between Spain and Ukraine at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on September 06, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

Robert Lewandowski (Poland) - 22/1

Gabriel Jesus (Brazil) - 20/1

Richarlison (Brazil) - 20/1

Karim Benzema (France) - 17/1

Antoine Griezmann (France) - 17/1

Memphis Depay (Netherlands) - 12/1

Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) - 11/1

Lionel Messi (Argentina) - 11/1

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - 10/1

Neymar (Brazil) - 17/2

Kylian Mbappe (France) - 8/1

Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) - 13/2

Harry Kane (England) - 6/1

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 08: Harry Kane of England receives the World Cup 2018 Golden Boot Award from Gareth Southgate, Manager of England ahead of the UEFA Nations League A group four match between England and Spain at Wembley Stadium on September 8, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Okay, does anyone else think the odds for Benzema to win are WAY too high?! The Real Madrid man is in the best form of his career and was comfortably France's top scorer at Euro 2020 - which makes Mbappe at 8/1 even more eyebrow-raising.

It's hard to argue against Kane being the overwhelming favourite to win back-to-back Golden Boots, though.

England have been drawn in a fairly easy group on paper and the Tottenham striker's record on international duty is up there with the best in history.

World Cup Qatar 2022 Draw (Football Terrace)

But it's rare that the favourite actually goes on to win the award, so if you're eager to place a bet ahead of the tournament's kick-off on November 21st, you're perhaps better off investing elsewhere.

Sterling's eye-for-goal in a England jersey makes his long odds of 33/1 incredibly tempting, while Jota and Torres at 25/1 also look rather appealing.

Some big names miss out on the top 26 entirely, including Serbia's Dusan Vlahovic, Senegal's Sadio Mane and Germany's Thomas Muller. All three of those players would be great outsider shouts in our opinion...