World Cup 2026: Kylian Mbappe Breaks Lionel Messi's Goals Record
- Kylian Mbappé has overtaken Lionel Messi to become the greatest goal scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup
- The 27-year-old trailed Messi heading to the third-place playoff match between France and England
- Barring any over-the-top goal-scoring performance from Argentina's No. 10, Mbappe will win back-to-back Golden Boot awards at the Mundial
Kylian Mbappé has rewritten World Cup history after becoming the competition's all-time leading scorer during France's third-place playoff against England on July 18.
The France captain reached the landmark with a brilliant brace, as his side suffered defeat in the pulsating 10-goal thriller in Miami, losing 6-4.
Although Les Bleus missed out on the final, the 27-year-old produced another clinical display to cement his place among football's greatest tournament performers.
Source: Getty Images
Mbappé overtakes Messi to set new World Cup record
Mbappé entered the match with 20 World Cup goals and eight in the 2026 edition.
He drew level with Lionel Messi on 21 goals when he struck three minutes into the second half before setting a new record shortly after the hour mark.
Michael Olise provided the assist for the historic finish, with Mbappe converting in a similar fashion to his first goal.
The Real Madrid forward now stands alone as the highest scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals, surpassing Messi, who remains on 21 ahead of Argentina's final against Spain on July 19.
While the Argentine icon still has an opportunity to equal or overtake the record, Mbappé has already ensured his name will be remembered as one of the tournament's greatest marksmen.
Golden Boot race still alive
Mbappé's double also strengthened his grip on the race for the Golden Boot. According to FIFA, he now leads the scoring charts with 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup.
Messi follows with eight goals and will need a hat-trick in the final to surpass the French captain.
If both stars finish on 10 goals, assists or number of minutes played will be used as the tiebreaker.
The battle between two of football's biggest names is therefore set for one final chapter, with individual history and World Cup glory still on the line.
Argentina handed disadvantage ahead of World Cup final
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Argentina has been dealt a significant setback ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain on July 19.
History is not on Lionel Messi's side, with the trend suggesting they face a 92.85% probability of defeat Read more:
Source: YEN.com.gh
