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Kylian Mbappe etched his name deeper into football history on Saturday after overtaking Lionel Messi to become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history.
The France captain reached the landmark during his side’s dramatic 6-4 defeat to England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place play-off, scoring twice to raise his career World Cup tally to 22 goals.
Mbappe now sits alone at the summit of the competition’s all-time scoring chart, moving one goal ahead of Messi, who has 21 and will have the opportunity to respond when Argentina face Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final.
France endured a disastrous opening half, trailing England 4-0 at the break before producing a spirited response after the restart.
Mbappe ignited the comeback in the 48th minute with a composed finish before adding his second in the 66th minute after Bradley Barcola had reduced the deficit.
His second strike, created by Michael Olise’s intelligent pass on the edge of the penalty area, was his 10th goal of the ongoing tournament, extending his lead over Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.
The remarkable achievement also made Mbappe the first footballer to score at least 10 goals in a single FIFA World Cup since Germany’s legendary forward Gerd Muller achieved the feat at the 1970 tournament in Mexico.
At just 27, the French forward has already rewritten one of the sport’s most prestigious records, underlining his status as one of the greatest players of his generation and further strengthening his legacy on football’s biggest stage.
World Cup all-time leading goalscorers
Kylian Mbappe (France) – 22 goals
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 21 goals
Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16 goals
Ronaldo Nazario (Brazil) – 15 goals
Gerd Muller (Germany) – 14 goals
