Kylian Mbappé, captain of France, has made history by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history. His two goals during France’s 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff match in Miami on Saturday propelled him past Lionel Messi‘s previous record. Mbappé’s brace also placed him at the top of the Golden Boot standings for the current tournament.
The match, which saw England secure a third-place finish, was described as a thrilling encounter with a total of 10 goals. France, the 2018 champions, initially faced a significant deficit, trailing 4-0 at halftime against a much-changed English side. Mbappé’s efforts were central to France’s attempted comeback in the second half.
Historic Goal-Scoring Achievement
Mbappé’s first goal came in the 48th minute, bringing his total World Cup goals to 21, which at that point leveled him with Messi. This goal also marked his ninth goal in the current tournament. Six minutes later, Bradley Barcola scored for France, further reducing England’s lead. Mbappé then struck again in the 66th minute, netting his 22nd career World Cup goal and his 10th goal in the ongoing tournament, thereby surpassing Messi’s record.
This achievement is particularly notable as Mbappé reached 22 goals in just 22 World Cup appearances across the 2018, 2022, and 2026 tournaments, maintaining an average of one goal per game. Messi, by comparison, had reached 21 World Cup goals over 31 appearances before the current tournament’s final. Mbappé’s World Cup journey includes a title in 2018, an appearance in the 2022 final, and a deep run in 2026.
Beyond the overall scoring record, Mbappé also now holds the record for the most non-penalty goals in World Cup history, with 19, surpassing Messi’s 17. His impressive performance in the third-place playoff has solidified his position as a dominant force in international football.
The Thrilling Third-Place Playoff
The third-place playoff match itself was a high-scoring affair. England took a commanding 4-0 lead into halftime, with goals from Declan Rice in the third minute, Ezri Konsa in the 18th minute, and a first-half brace from Bukayo Saka, who scored in the 37th minute and again in first-half stoppage time. France’s manager, Didier Deschamps, was overseeing his final match after a 14-year tenure.
France mounted a dramatic revival in the second half. Following Mbappé’s goals and Barcola’s strike, Ousmane Dembélé scored France’s fourth and final goal deep into stoppage time, bringing the score to 5-4. However, England ultimately secured their victory with a hat-trick goal from Saka from the penalty spot in the 87th minute and a solo goal from Jude Bellingham in the 98th minute, sealing the 6-4 win.
Bellingham’s goal also made him England’s all-time leading scorer in this tournament, with his seventh goal overall and the sixth for the Three Lions, ensuring their podium finish. Dembélé’s goal was his sixth in the World Cup.
Golden Boot Race Intensifies
Mbappé’s two goals significantly impacted the race for the Golden Boot. Before the third-place playoff, Messi led the standings with eight goals and four assists, compared to Mbappé’s eight goals and three assists. Mbappé’s performance on Saturday, however, altered the picture considerably.
The updated standings now show Mbappé with 10 goals and four assists, placing him firmly in the lead. Messi remains with eight goals and four assists. Other notable contenders include Jude Bellingham with seven goals and one assist, Ousmane Dembélé with six goals and two assists, and Harry Kane with six goals and one assist.
Despite Mbappé’s historic afternoon, the Golden Boot race is not entirely decided. Messi, at 39 years old and likely playing in his last World Cup, will have one final opportunity to reclaim the award. He is set to lead Argentina in the final against Spain on Sunday, where multiple goals could potentially see him challenge Mbappé for both the tournament scoring record and the Golden Boot.
For now, however, both the all-time World Cup goal-scoring record and the lead in the Golden Boot race belong to Mbappé. His performance against England on Saturday marked another significant milestone in his career.
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Source: aljazeera.com
