Mbappé Surpasses Messi’s World Cup Scoring Record With Brace in Third-Place Playoff

Kylian Mbappé etched his name into World Cup history on Saturday by becoming the tournament’s all-time leading goal scorer. The French forward notched a pair of goals during the third-place playoff against England in Miami Gardens, Florida, lifting his career World Cup tally to 22 goals and surpassing Argentina’s Lionel Messi’s previous mark of 21.

France faced a daunting 4-0 deficit when Mbappé struck first in the 48th minute, executing a precise finish past England goalkeeper Dean Henderson. The Paris Saint-Germain attacker added his second tally 18 minutes later with a left-footed shot from approximately 14 yards out, bringing France within one goal at 4-3.

Mbappé’s dominant showing this tournament has solidified his grip on the Golden Boot award, where he leads with 10 goals, a two-goal advantage over Messi in the competition’s scoring race. France’s bid to reach a third straight World Cup final fell short following a semifinal loss to Spain, making Saturday’s match their final opportunity for a medal.

The record-breaking performance adds another dimension to the ongoing narrative between Mbappé and the Argentine icon. The two previously clashed four years ago in Qatar, where Messi’s team prevailed on penalty kicks after extra time, and Mbappé finished that tournament as the Golden Boot winner with eight goals.