Kylian Mbappé has rewritten World Cup history. With a brace in the third-place playoff against England — a 6-4 loss for France — the French star reached 22 career World Cup goals, surpassing Lionel Messi (21) to become the all-time top scorer in the competition's history.
The match at Miami Gardens, Florida, started ominously for France, trailing 4-0 at halftime. Mbappé sparked the comeback in the 48th minute with a delicate chip over goalkeeper Dean Henderson. He then struck again in the 66th minute with a left-footed shot from 14 yards, bringing France within 4-3 and completing his pass of Messi's all-time record.
With 10 goals in the 2026 World Cup, Mbappé leads the Golden Boot race. Should he hold off Messi — who faces Spain in Sunday's final — he would become the first player to win the Golden Boot in two consecutive tournaments, having previously won it in Qatar 2022 with eight goals.
