Kylian Mbappe became the highest scorer in FIFA World Cup history on Saturday, but the historic milestone came in a losing cause as France fell 6-4 to England in a thrilling third-place playoff in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The French captain scored twice in the second half to take his World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving one ahead of Argentina legend Lionel Messi. However, France’s spirited comeback from a 4-0 halftime deficit fell short as England secured the bronze medal in one of the highest-scoring matches in World Cup history.
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Mbappe Sets New Record but Misses the Final
Mbappe found the net in the 48th and 66th minutes, breaking the all-time World Cup scoring record that Messi had held with 21 goals. The Real Madrid forward has now scored 22 World Cup goals across three tournaments, including four in 2018, eight in 2022 and 10 in the 2026 edition.
Despite reaching another historic landmark, Mbappe admitted the personal achievement offered little comfort after France missed out on the World Cup final.
“I’m just trying to help my team score every time,” Mbappe said after the match.
“It’s for sure that when you score that many goals in the World Cup, it elevates you to certain levels but I would have liked to not be the top scorer in history and play tomorrow’s (championship) match.”
“So, I think it’s good for legacy and when we stop (playing) to say that I was one of those players. But today, it’s not the first thing crossing my mind.”
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The 27-year-old’s latest achievement adds another chapter to an already remarkable World Cup career. He lifted the trophy with France in 2018 and scored a memorable hat trick in the 2022 final, although Argentina eventually won that match on penalties.
Golden Boot Race Still Open Before Final
Mbappe’s brace also strengthened his grip on the Golden Boot race. He now leads the tournament with 10 goals, two ahead of Messi, who has eight entering Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.
The final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, gives Messi one last opportunity to close the gap in both the Golden Boot standings and the all-time World Cup scoring chart. A hat trick would see the Argentine reclaim both records.
Mbappe also became the first player to score 10 goals in a single World Cup since West Germany legend Gerd Muller achieved the feat in 1970.
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France’s record-setting striker was overshadowed by England’s Bukayo Saka, who scored a hat trick as the Three Lions raced into a 4-0 halftime lead. France mounted an impressive second-half rally through Mbappe, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele, but Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time goal sealed England’s 6-4 victory.
Although Mbappe leaves the tournament without a medal of the color France wanted, he departs having rewritten one of football’s most prestigious records. Whether it stands for long could depend on what Messi produces in the World Cup final.
