Why Kylian Mbappe Is Wearing a Special World Cup Shirt Messi and Ronaldo Don’t Have
- Kylian Mbappe is wearing a special World Cup shirt that even Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi can’t have
- Only Harry Kane and James Rodriguez join Mbappe among active players with the same World Cup honour
- Mbappe continues to chase Messi’s records but still considers the Argentine among football’s greatest
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Kylian Mbappe is once again lighting up the 2026 World Cup as he aims to lead France to another triumph on football’s biggest stage.
The Real Madrid forward is firmly involved in the Golden Boot battle alongside some of the biggest names in world football, including Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior, after scoring four goals during the group stage.
Source: Getty Images
Mbappe played a crucial role in France’s 2018 World Cup success, announcing himself on the global stage as a teenager.
Four years later in Qatar, he produced another unforgettable tournament despite France falling short in the final.
The 27-year-old scored a stunning hat-trick against Argentina in the final, becoming only the second player in history to achieve the feat after England legend Sir Geoff Hurst.
Mbappe wears different shirt to France teammates
Mbappe’s three goals in the 2022 final helped him win the World Cup Golden Boot after scoring eight goals throughout the tournament.
His performances were widely praised, with many believing he deserved more than a runners-up medal.
The France captain continues to deliver on the biggest occasions, and some fans have noticed that his shirt at the 2026 World Cup looks different from the rest of Didier Deschamps’ squad.
The reason comes from his Golden Boot achievement in Qatar.
Any active player who has won the World Cup’s Golden Boot is allowed to wear a special patch on the sleeve of their shirt to recognise the achievement.
Mbappe is not the only player at this tournament with that honour.
England striker Harry Kane and Colombia star James Rodriguez are the only other players competing at the 2026 World Cup allowed to wear the same patch, having won the Golden Boot in 2018 and 2014 respectively.
The award has never been won in consecutive World Cups.
However, with France among the favourites to go deep into the tournament and Mbappe already among the goals, the forward has a realistic chance of winning the individual award again.
He is also only four goals away from becoming the highest goalscorer in World Cup history.
Mbappe admits Lionel Messi remains the best
While Mbappe continues to compete with his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Messi in both the Golden Boot race and the all-time World Cup scoring charts, he admits he still has a long way to go to surpass the Argentine.
The France forward said he was not surprised that Messi continues to perform on football’s biggest stage.
Speaking to ESPN, Mbappe said:
“I already knew Messi was going to keep scoring goals. He always does. He's ahead of me and I'm behind him. I'll keep scoring to help my national team go as far as possible.”
After Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria, Mbappe once again praised the Argentina captain and labelled him one of the best players in history.
He said:
“It’s clear that Messi is the best in the world, and so is Cristiano [Ronaldo]. For 16 years, he [Messi] has shown his extraordinary talent.
“I’m just trying to do what I know how to do: show my talent on the biggest stage possible and help my national team.”
Source: YEN.com.gh
