Kylian Mbappe made World Cup history despite France ending their campaign with a painful 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff.
France vs England
The France captain scored twice at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, taking his tournament tally to 10 goals and his overall World Cup record to 22. That moved him ahead of Lionel Messi as the competition’s all-time leading scorer.
Mbappe also became only the fourth player to score 10 or more goals in a single men’s World Cup. He joins Sandor Kocsis, Just Fontaine and Gerd Muller on one of football’s most exclusive lists.
Kocsis scored 11 goals for Hungary in 1954, Fontaine hit a record 13 for France in 1958, while Muller scored 10 for West Germany in 1970.
Mbappe’s latest milestone came in one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament. England beat France 6-4 in the highest-scoring third-place match in World Cup history, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat-trick for the Three Lions.
England raced into a commanding lead through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and Saka before France launched a second-half fightback. Mbappe scored twice to drag Les Bleus back into the contest, while Bradley Barcola also found the net.
But England held their nerve. Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot before Jude Bellingham scored late to seal third place for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
France left without a medal, but Mbappe’s individual achievement ensured the night still carried historic meaning for Les Bleus.
The Real Madrid forward has now scored at three World Cups. He netted four times as France won the title in Russia in 2018, added eight goals in Qatar in 2022 and then delivered 10 more in North America.
At just 27, Mbappe has already built one of the greatest World Cup records in football history.
His 2026 performance also placed him top of the Golden Boot standings ahead of the final between Argentina and Spain. With Messi still involved in the tournament, the race remains a major talking point, but Mbappe’s 10-goal return has set a high mark.
After the match, Mbappe admitted that records matter but insisted his main focus remains winning trophies.
Records are special, but winning trophies is what matters most,” he said.
Supporters reacted quickly to his achievement, with many praising his consistency on the biggest stage. France may have fallen short as a team, but Mbappe again showed why he is one of the defining players of his generation.
For France, the tournament ended with mixed emotions. Their semi-final defeat to Spain denied them a place in another final, and England then blocked their route to bronze.
For Mbappe, however, the campaign strengthened his legacy. He leaves the 2026 World Cup as the tournament’s leading scorer, the competition’s all-time top marksman and one of only four players to hit double figures at a single edition.
The trophy escaped him this time, but history did not.
