Kylian Mbappé breaks Lionel Messi’s World Cup scoring record with 22nd career goal

Kylian Mbappé has become the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. The France captain broke the record previously held by Lionel Messi by netting his 22nd career World Cup goal during a high-scoring third-place playoff against England on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The match, which finished 6-4 in favor of England, was a tale of two halves. England dominated the early proceedings, racing to a 4-0 lead by halftime. France's struggle was described by head coach Didier Deschamps as a disgraceful first half, while Mbappé admitted the team was completely stunned and that some might feel they made fools of ourselves.

France launched a second-half rally led by Mbappé. He first equalized Messi's career mark of 21 goals in the 48th minute with a shot past England goalkeeper Dean Henderson. After goals from Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola, Mbappé struck again in the 66th minute, using a left-footed strike from approximately 14 yards to reach 22 goals. This feat was achieved in just 22 World Cup matches; by comparison, Messi reached 21 goals in 31 appearances.

Mbappé's brace also moved him into the lead for the tournament's Golden Boot with 10 goals. He is the first player to score at least eight goals in back-to-back World Cups, having scored eight in 2022. Additionally, he now holds the record for the most non-penalty goals at a World Cup with 19. Mbappé also recorded the most goal involvements at a single World Cup since 1966, totaling 14 with 10 goals and 4 assists.

Another record fell during the match as France's Michael Olise provided seven assists in the tournament, surpassing Pelé's 1970 record of six. For England, Jude Bellingham became the first player in the nation's history to score seven goals in a single major tournament. Bukayo Saka also recorded a hat-trick, including a late penalty.

The victory secured England's best World Cup finish since 1966 and their first medal on foreign soil. It was also only the second time since 1992 that England defeated a higher-ranked opponent at a World Cup. Manager Thomas Tuchel admitted the result was a positive moment for his players, following a semi-final loss to Argentina that had led to sporadic boos from fans before the match began.

The game also marked a significant transition for the England squad. Dean Henderson started in goal, ending a record 33 consecutive major-tournament starts for Jordan Pickford, who had been the No. 1 since Euro 2016.

For France, the match served as the final game for Didier Deschamps, who has led the team for 14 years. Deschamps, who began his tenure in 2012, stated that the journey represented the most beautiful period of his career. While he did not name a successor during his post-match press conference, Zinedine Zidane is widely expected to be confirmed as the new head coach by the French soccer federation in the coming days.

Despite the individual records, Mbappé expressed regret over the loss and the miss of a final.

"I would have preferred not to be the top scorer in history and play in the match tomorrow,"

Kylian Mbappé, France Captain, via Fox Sports

The focus now shifts to the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Spain will face Argentina for the championship. Lionel Messi, who currently has 8 goals in the tournament, can still reclaim the Golden Boot if he scores a hat-trick or nets two goals and provides an assist.