Kylian Mbappé has become the World Cup's all-time leading scorer after netting two goals in France's third-place match against a rival team. The French forward now holds the record with 22 goals across World Cup tournaments, surpassing the previous mark held by Lionel Messi.
The 27-year-old achieved this milestone in the consolation game following France's semifinal exit from the 2026 tournament. Mbappé's two goals in the match pushed him past Messi, who had held the record and advanced to the World Cup final to represent Argentina.
Multiple major outlets including ESPN and Yahoo Sports confirmed the new scoring record, highlighting the significance of Mbappé's achievement. The milestone represents another notable accomplishment for the French captain, who has consistently performed on international football's biggest stage throughout his career.
Mbappé's path to the record demonstrates his scoring ability across multiple World Cup tournaments. His consistent performance in crucial matches has established him among the sport's most prolific international goal scorers. The record now stands as a benchmark for future players competing in the tournament.
Despite breaking the all-time record, Mbappé acknowledged Messi's continued presence in the tournament. According to reports from Yahoo Sports, Mbappé discussed why he believes the Argentine captain could still win the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot, the award given to the tournament's top scorer. Messi retains the opportunity to add to his goal tally in the final match against Spain.
The record marks another individual achievement for French football, even as the team fell short of reaching consecutive World Cup finals. France's semifinal elimination prevented them from securing back-to-back appearances in the championship match. However, Mbappé's personal success provides a bright spot for the nation after their tournament disappointment.
Messi, who turned 39 on Wednesday, made history of his own earlier in the tournament. He broke the previous World Cup goal-scoring record with a clinical finish against Austria in a group stage match. The moment held particular significance as it occurred in Dallas, in the same city where Maradona was forced to leave the 1994 World Cup under controversy, and exactly 40 years after Maradona's infamous hand-of-God goal against England.
The Argentine captain has now faced setbacks during his World Cup journey, including missing a penalty against Austria before ultimately recording his historic goals. His performance throughout the tournament has kept him in contention for the Golden Boot award as Argentina prepares for the final against Spain.
Both records underscore the remarkable goal-scoring prowess displayed during this World Cup tournament, with two of football's greatest players etching their names further into the sport's history books.