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Kylian Mbappe overtook Argentina's Lionel Messi to become the leading individual goalscorer in the history of the World Cup following the third-place playoff match that delivered one of the most chaotic finishes this year.
England sealed a 6-4 victory over France on Saturday (Friday in the US), in which Mbappe sealed a brace. But Bukayo Saka's hat-trick gave England a major boost in the third-place playoff, sealing a 6-4 victory in Miami.
Mbappe scored two goals in the third-place playoff match, taking his World Cup goal count to 22. The French striker scored his first goal of the match in the 48th minute and added a second in the 66th minute, adding to the chaos in the game's second half.
The French captain put up one of the most impressive performances in the 2026 World Cup, scoring ten goals and four assists to become the leader in the Golden Boot race. He surpassed Messi, who is currently second with eight goals and four assists.
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Mbappe wrapped up his third World Cup campaign with ten goals to lead the Golden Boot standings. In the 2022 World Cup, he scored 8 goals and won the prestigious award.
Messi could still take the lead in the Golden Boot race, but requires to score a hat-trick in the 2026 World Cup final. The pressure would be on the veteran Argentine footballer when they defend their championship against Spain.
Following the match, Mbappe stressed that his focus was to help France win matches and admitted that he would rather be playing in the final than holding the record as all-time top scorer. He added that personal milestones are secondary to team success.
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"Messi is going to score (on Sunday), that's for sure. I'm just trying to help my team win. When you score a lot of goals at the World Cup, it puts you in a certain category.
"I would have preferred not to be the all-time top scorer and to be playing tomorrow's match. It's good in terms of legacy, but today it's not the first thing on my mind," Mbappe said.
Following Les Blues' 6-4 defeat to England, all eyes will be on the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on Monday, July 20 (July 19 in the US) at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
England sealed a 6-4 victory over France on Saturday (Friday in the US), in which Mbappe sealed a brace. But Bukayo Saka's hat-trick gave England a major boost in the third-place playoff, sealing a 6-4 victory in Miami.
Mbappe becomes all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history
Mbappe scored two goals in the third-place playoff match, taking his World Cup goal count to 22. The French striker scored his first goal of the match in the 48th minute and added a second in the 66th minute, adding to the chaos in the game's second half.
The French captain put up one of the most impressive performances in the 2026 World Cup, scoring ten goals and four assists to become the leader in the Golden Boot race. He surpassed Messi, who is currently second with eight goals and four assists.
Also Read | Can MLS leverage the 2026 World Cup success to become a major powerhouse in U.S. sports leagues?
Mbappe wrapped up his third World Cup campaign with ten goals to lead the Golden Boot standings. In the 2022 World Cup, he scored 8 goals and won the prestigious award.
Messi could still take the lead in the Golden Boot race, but requires to score a hat-trick in the 2026 World Cup final. The pressure would be on the veteran Argentine footballer when they defend their championship against Spain.
Mbappe reacts after France's win
Following the match, Mbappe stressed that his focus was to help France win matches and admitted that he would rather be playing in the final than holding the record as all-time top scorer. He added that personal milestones are secondary to team success.
Also Read | FIFA's 'most inclusive' World Cup failed as US visa curbs shut out fans, rights groups say
"Messi is going to score (on Sunday), that's for sure. I'm just trying to help my team win. When you score a lot of goals at the World Cup, it puts you in a certain category.
"I would have preferred not to be the all-time top scorer and to be playing tomorrow's match. It's good in terms of legacy, but today it's not the first thing on my mind," Mbappe said.
Following Les Blues' 6-4 defeat to England, all eyes will be on the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on Monday, July 20 (July 19 in the US) at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
