Kylian Mbappé wrote football history again.The France captain scored twice in a stunning 6-4 defeat of England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place playoff, becoming the top goalscorer in World Cup history while simultaneously moving to the top of the Golden Boot standings ahead of Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain.Although France fell short in an incredible 10-goal thriller in Miami, Mbappé left the pitch with the upper hand. Lionel MessiThe long-standing scoring record on football’s biggest stage.His brace took him to 22 career World Cup goals, one more than Messi, who moved into first place earlier this tournament. Mbappé also moved up to 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup, overtaking Messi in the Golden Boot race after the Argentina captain finished the semifinals with eight goals.
England survived a remarkable 10-goal thriller
The third place playoff provided one of the most entertaining matches in the history of the World Cup.England stormed into a commanding 4-0 halftime lead with goals from Declan Rice in the third minute, Ezri Konsa in the 18th minute and a first-half brace from Bukayo Saka, who scored in the 37th minute and again in stoppage time in the first half.With Didier Deschamps preparing for the final match of his 14-year spell as France manager, Les Bleus responded with a dramatic revival after the interval.Mbappé sparked the comeback with a clinical finish three minutes into the second half before Bradley Barcola reduced the deficit in the 54th minute.
Kylian Mbappe (10) of France scores their first goal against England goalkeeper Dean Henderson (13) during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
The Real Madrid striker then scored again in the 66th minute to make it 4-3, a goal that not only revived France’s hopes but also carried a lot of historical significance as it lifted him past Messi on the entire World Cup scoring chart.Eventually England regained control.Bukayo Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute before Ousmane Dembélé scored deep into stoppage time to reduce the deficit to 5-4. Jude Bellingham ended the incredible contest with a stunning solo goal in the 98th minute as England secured a memorable 6-4 win and third place.
A new king of World Cup goals
Mbappé’s second goal of the afternoon completed one of the most amazing statistical achievements in the history of football.The 27-year-old has now scored 22 goals in just 22 World Cup games, maintaining a remarkable average of one goal per game across the 2018, 2022 and 2026 tournaments.In comparison, Messi scored 21 World Cup goals in 31 appearances before adding another during Argentina’s run to this year’s final.Mbappé’s World Cup journey has included the 2018 title, the 2022 final, and now another deep run in 2026. He first burst onto the global stage by winning the Young Player Award in Russia before scoring a hat-trick in the 2022 final against Argentina, although France eventually lost on penalties.
Kylian Mbappé equals Lionel Messi’s World Cup goals record and leads the way for the Golden Boot/ Picture: AP:
During this tournament, he also overtook Olivier Giroud to become France’s top scorer. His latest brace added another record to an already impressive résumé.Mbappé has now also become the player with the most unpunished goals in World Cup history, advancing to 19, surpassing Messi’s tally of 17.
The Golden Boot race is in Mbappé’s favor
The brace also dramatically changed the race for the tournament’s top scorer.Before kickoff, Messi led the standings after providing two assists in Argentina’s semifinal win over England, giving him eight goals and four assists compared to Mbappé’s eight goals and three assists.Saturday’s performance completely changed the picture.The updated standings are:
- Kylian Mbappé (France). 10 goals, 4 assists
- Lionel Messi (Argentina). 8 goals, 4 assists
- Jude Bellingham (England). 7 goals, 1 assist
- Ousmane Dembele (France). 6 goals, 2 assists
- Harry Kane (England). 6 goals, 1 assist
Mbappé now has a two-goal advantage at the top, putting him firmly in pole position to claim the Golden Boot.
Messi has one last chance
Despite Mbappé’s historic afternoon, the story is far from over.Messi will lead Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain at the New York New Jersey Stadium, giving the 39-year-old one last chance to respond.Victory would give Argentina a second successive World Cup title, while more goals would see Messi reclaim the tournament’s scoring record and the Golden Boot.For now, however, both honors belong to Mbappé.In a tournament already filled with outstanding individual performances, the France captain achieved another historic milestone, becoming the first player to score 22 goals at the World Cup, doing so in just 22 matches, and moving one step closer to adding another Golden Boot to his growing collection of individual accolades.