Mbappe extends Golden Boot lead as England secure third place
Lionel Messi retains a path to overtake the 2026 World Cup’s leading scorer in Sunday’s final, while Mbappe cements his place in the all-time scoring record.
Kylian Mbappe has extended his lead in the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race, moving two goals clear of Lionel Messi following France’s 6-4 defeat by England in the third-place play-off. The French captain’s double in Miami brought his tournament tally to 10, a feat that matches the highest single-edition scoring total for a men’s World Cup in the 21st century.
The match, held in Miami on 18 July 2026, served as the final World Cup appearance for France manager Didier Deschamps and potentially Mbappe’s last tournament. England secured third place with a commanding performance, leading 4-0 at halftime through goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and two from Bukayo Saka. Despite a second-half surge from France, Jude Bellingham scored the decisive goal in the 90+8th minute to seal the victory.
Mbappe’s performance not only places him in pole position for the Golden Boot but also elevates him to the top of the all-time World Cup scoring chart with 22 career goals, one ahead of Messi. The 27-year-old’s 10 goals in this tournament equal the record previously held only by Gerd Muller in 1970, joining an exclusive group of players to score eight or more goals in a single edition.
Lionel Messi, who is set to play in the final against Spain, remains in contention to overtake Mbappe. The 39-year-old Argentine holds the advantage in assists and can reclaim the Golden Boot by scoring two or more goals in the final. Anything less would see Mbappe become the first player to win the award twice.
The result also elevated England’s Jude Bellingham to third place in the Golden Boot standings with seven goals, the most an Englishman has scored at a single World Cup. He edges ahead of Erling Haaland on assist metrics, while Harry Kane and Ousmane Dembele remain in close pursuit.
