Kylian Mbappé surpasses Lionel Messi as all-time World Cup top scorer

France’s Kylian Mbappé etched his name into football history on Saturday, surpassing Lionel Messi as the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup tournaments with a brace against England in the third-place playoff. The 27-year-old forward’s two goals in the 6-4 defeat to England lifted his career tally to 22, one more than Messi’s previous record of 21, securing his place as the competition’s top scorer across 22 appearances.

The match, played at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium, was a high-stakes encounter that saw Mbappé’s efforts overshadow a dominant England performance. Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick, including a penalty in the 87th minute, to seal a 6-4 victory for the Three Lions, who secured their best World Cup finish since 1966. Despite the loss, Mbappé’s achievements marked a defining moment in his career, as he became the first player to reach 22 World Cup goals and the first to score 10 in a single tournament since 1970.

Mbappé’s breakthrough came in the 48th minute, when he converted a low strike past England goalkeeper Dean Henderson to reduce France’s deficit to 4-1. The goal tied him with Messi on 21 career World Cup goals, a record the Argentine had held since surpassing Miroslav Klose in June 2026. Just 18 minutes later, Mbappé struck again, slotting home a left-footed effort from 14 yards to move ahead of Messi and cement his legacy. His second goal also extended his tournament-leading tally to 10, two more than Messi, securing the Golden Boot for France.

The match itself was a spectacle, with 10 goals scored — the highest in a World Cup third-place playoff since Hungary’s 10-1 win over El Salvador in 1982. England’s first-half dominance, fueled by Saka’s two early goals and Declan Rice’s opener, left France reeling. However, Mbappé’s resurgence in the second half provided a fleeting glimmer of hope for the defending champions, who had fallen to Spain in the semifinals. Despite his efforts, France could not overcome the deficit, with Ousmane Dembele adding a late goal to make the final scoreline 6-4.

Mbappé’s record-breaking campaign has been marked by consistency and clinical finishing. Across three World Cup editions — 2018, 2022, and 2026, he has now scored 22 goals in 22 matches, averaging a goal every 87 minutes. His 10 tournament goals in 2026 include eight in open play, the most in the competition, and he was involved in 14 goals (10 goals, 4 assists) across eight games. Statistically, Mbappé led the tournament in shots (41), shots on target (23), and key passes (18), underscoring his impact as both a scorer and playmaker.

Messi, meanwhile, remains in contention to reclaim the record. The 39-year-old Argentine captain, who has 21 World Cup goals from 33 appearances, will face Spain in Sunday’s final. A single goal in that match would tie him with Mbappé, while two would see him overtake the French star. Messi’s journey to the record has been historic in its own right: he became the first player to surpass 20 World Cup goals in 2026, breaking Klose’s long-standing mark. His 21 goals include eight in the 2022 final, where he led Argentina to victory over France, a match in which Mbappé scored a hat-trick.

The rivalry between Mbappé and Messi has defined this World Cup, with both players rewriting records and challenging the boundaries of their careers. Mbappé’s rapid ascent, reaching 22 goals in 22 matches, contrasts with Messi’s slower, more sustained success. Yet both have proven their ability to thrive under pressure, with Mbappé’s 12 World Cup goals in knockout stages (a record) and Messi’s 14 game-changing goals in the competition’s history. Their paths now converge again, with Messi’s final against Spain offering a final opportunity to reclaim his place at the top of the all-time list.

For Mbappé, the record is proof of his relentless drive and the peak of his career. At 27, he has already outpaced Messi in the race for the Golden Boot and is poised to enter the 2030 World Cup as the sport’s most prolific scorer. Yet the narrative remains unfinished, with Messi’s final match set to determine whether the torch will be passed again or if Mbappé’s name will stand alone in the annals of World Cup history.