Kylian Mbappe further cemented his status as one of the greatest FIFA World Cup performers of all time with a historic individual display in France's thrilling third-place playoff against England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Although France suffered a dramatic 6-4 defeat to England in the bronze-medal clash, Mbappe scored twice to reach 10 goals at the 2026 tournament and rewrite two major World Cup goalscoring records in the process.
England Beat France 6-4 in Thrilling Third-Place Playoff
England secured third place after an extraordinary 10-goal encounter in Miami. The Three Lions raced into a commanding 4-0 halftime lead, with Bukayo Saka starring on his way to a hat-trick.
France, however, produced a spirited second-half fightback, inspired by captain Mbappe. The French superstar scored twice as Les Bleus attempted an unlikely comeback, but England ultimately held on to secure a memorable 6-4 victory and the bronze medal.
While France ended their campaign without a place on the podium, the night still belonged to Mbappe from an individual perspective.
Mbappe Becomes Fourth Player to Score 10 Goals at a Single World Cup
Mbappe's brace took his tally at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to an incredible 10 goals. In doing so, he became only the fourth player in World Cup history to reach double figures in a single edition of the tournament.
The exclusive list now stands as:
Sándor Kocsis (Hungary): 11 goals – 1954
Just Fontaine (France): 13 goals – 1958
Gerd Müller (West Germany): 10 goals – 1970
Kylian Mbappe (France): 10 goals – 2026
Mbappe is the first player to achieve the feat in 56 years, following Gerd Müller's 10-goal campaign in 1970.
Mbappe Overtakes Messi for Most World Cup Goals
Mbappe also made history by taking his overall FIFA World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving ahead of Lionel Messi's 21 to become the competition's all-time leading goalscorer. His remarkable record is even more impressive considering the Frenchman has reached the landmark across just three World Cup editions.
Mbappe Moves Ahead of Messi in 2026 Golden Boot Race
The brace against England also propelled Mbappe ahead of Messi in the race for the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot. Mbappe now leads the standings with 10 goals, while Messi sits on eight ahead of Argentina's final against Spain.
Despite France failing to win the tournament, Mbappe will leave the 2026 World Cup having produced a historic individual campaign.
However, the final chapter may not yet be written. With Argentina set to face Spain in the World Cup final, it remains to be seen whether Messi can reclaim the all-time World Cup goalscoring record and overtake Mbappe in the Golden Boot race in what could arguably be his final appearance on football's biggest stage.
