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Mbappé overtakes Messi to become World Cup all-time top scorer
19th July, 2026 09:20 AM
France’s Kylian Mbappe broke Lionel Messi’s all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record of 21 goals in Sunday’s, July 19, 2026, third-place playoff, where Les Bleus lost 6-4 to England.
Mbappe now has 22 World Cup goals in as many matches, scoring twice to move ahead of Messi and extend his lead in the Golden Boot race to 10 goals at this tournament, two ahead of Messi.
Michael Olise also set a World Cup record, providing two assists to take his tournament total to seven – one more than Pele’s previous single-tournament mark of six.
As it happened
England beat France 6-4 to claim the World Cup third place, its best finish at the tournament since lifting the trophy in 1966.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice and moved two clear of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. He also surpassed Messi’s all-time World Cup scoring record.
England opened the account just three minutes into the game when Declan Rice drove into the French half and hammered home a stunning right-footed strike. France attempted to respond in the 11th minute, but Rayan Cherki’s long-range effort was well saved by Dean Henderson.
The Three Lions thought they had doubled their lead shortly after, only for Bukayo Saka to be ruled offside. They did make it 2-0 in the 18th minute when Rice swung a corner into the box and Ezri Konsa headed in.
In the 37th minute, Marcus Rashford’s one-on-one effort was stopped by Mike Maignan. The rebound fell to the onrushing Saka, whose follow-up was blocked by Maxence Lacroix before Rashford supplied the final touch for Saka to make it 3-0.
Things went from bad to worse for Les Bleus before the break as Eberechi Eze threaded a pinpoint pass to Saka, who drifted inside and finished neatly from 16 metres to give England a 4-0 lead.
France coach Didier Deschamps made four changes at half-time and finally pulled one back in the 48th minute as Mbappe slotted home Michael Olise’s cross.
In the 54th minute, substitute Bradley Barcola cut the deficit, firing a clinical shot into the near corner.
Mbappé grabbed his second in the 66th minute after a wonderful one-two with Olise, leaving France needing one more to level
.
England was awarded a penalty in the 87th minute. Jude Bellingham, who had initially picked up the ball, handed it to Saka. The winger stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to complete a hat-trick.
France made it 5-4 in stoppage time with Ousmane Dembele’s left-footed strike before Bellingham wrapped it up 6-4 from close range.
