Kylian Mbappé has thrown the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot wide open after scoring twice in France’s thrilling 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place play-off, setting up a dramatic final-day battle with Lionel Messi.
The French captain’s brace moved him two goals clear of Argentina’s Messi, who still has one opportunity to respond in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.
Messi must score at least two goals in the final to draw level with Mbappé and would then claim the Golden Boot on the strength of a superior assist tally. Anything less would see Mbappé become the first player to win the prestigious award twice.
Mbappé also made history by becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer with 22 goals, overtaking Messi’s previous record of 21.
Despite Mbappé’s heroics, England claimed the bronze medal after an extraordinary 6-4 victory in one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament.
Thomas Tuchel’s side stormed into a 4-0 first-half lead through goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and a Bukayo Saka double, leaving France shell-shocked.
France responded after the break as Mbappé struck twice and Bradley Barcola added another to reduce the deficit, but England regained control when Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Djed Spence was fouled inside the area.
Ousmane Dembélé made it 5-4 deep into stoppage time, but Jude Bellingham sealed the victory moments later with his seventh goal of the tournament.
England’s triumph secured their best men’s World Cup finish since lifting the trophy in 1966 and marked their highest-ever finish at a World Cup staged outside England.
Saka became only the second England player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup knockout match after Sir Geoff Hurst’s famous treble in the 1966 final. He also became just the third player to score three goals against France in a World Cup match, joining Hurst and Brazilian legend Pelé.
The encounter also entered the record books as the highest-scoring third-place play-off in World Cup history, surpassing the previous record set in 1958 when France defeated West Germany 6-3.
France, meanwhile, suffered another unwanted milestone, conceding six goals in a World Cup match for the first time in their history and their highest number of goals conceded in any international match in 66 years.
Attention now turns to Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, where Messi will have one final chance to wrestle the Golden Boot from Mbappé and lead the defending champions to another global title.
