Kylian Mbappé etched his name in golden letters in the history books of football last Saturday, although the collective outcome was not what the French star would have wished. During the third-place match of the 2026 World Cup, the forward managed to surpass Lionel Messi in the race for the total goals record in the history of the World Cups. With his brace against England, Mbappé reached the incredible figure of 22 World Cup goals, leaving behind the mark of 21 goals held by the Argentine captain.
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The path to the record was not easy, as the pursuit of the Golden Boot seemed stalled after a first half where France was losing 4-0. However, Mbappé and “Les Bleus” came alive in the second half. The forward’s first goal came at minute 48, when a deflected shot beat the English goalkeeper Dean Henderson. The definitive crowning occurred at minute 66, when Mbappé again beat Henderson with a left-footed shot from about 14 meters, sealing his 22nd goal in the history of the tournaments.
What this achievement represents goes beyond the numbers, although for the player it has a bittersweet tone. Mbappé finished this World Cup with 10 goals, positioning himself as the top scorer of the tournament ahead of the final between Spain and Argentina. If he maintains this position over Messi, he will become the first player in history to win the Golden Boot twice, having previously achieved it in Qatar with 8 goals. His current 10 goals equal the third highest tally in a single edition, matching records of legends like Gerd Müller in 1970.
Despite the magnitude of the feat, the French captain showed his most human side by stating that “he would have preferred not to be the top scorer in history and to play the final”. Mbappé’s goals also represented the last act of loyalty towards Didier Deschamps, who coached his last match after 14 years leading the national team. According to sources, Deschamps defended his star after the defeat, calling him an “incredible captain” who has constantly evolved. Although France fell 6-4, Mbappé’s brace symbolizes the end of a statistical era and the beginning of a reign that will hardly be surpassed in the coming decades.
