Mbappé becomes all-time World Cup scorer with 22 goals

Kylian Mbappé etched his name into football history on Saturday, surpassing Lionel Messi to become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals — but the milestone came in defeat as England beat France 6-4 in an extraordinary third-place playoff in Miami.

A Record for the Ages

The 27-year-old France captain scored twice in the second half, first equalizing a goal in the 48th minute to draw level with Messi's record of 21 career World Cup goals, then striking again in the 66th minute to claim the record outright. His 10 goals at this tournament also gave him a commanding lead in the Golden Boot race, two ahead of Messi heading into Sunday's final.aljazeera+2

Mbappé's World Cup career has been remarkable since he burst onto the scene as a teenager at Russia 2018, where he scored four goals. He added eight at Qatar 2022 — including a hat-trick in the final against Argentina — before his prolific 10-goal haul in 2026 pushed his total past all who came before him.foxsports+1

England's Bronze Medal Finish

England produced a sensational first half, racing to a 4-0 lead before the break. But France, inspired by Mbappé and Bradley Barcola, who also scored, mounted a furious comeback in the second period. England ultimately held on for a 6-4 victory and a third-place finish — the country's best World Cup result since winning the tournament in 1966.espn+3

England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his players despite the chaotic nature of the contest, with the BBC reporting that he acknowledged the "topsy-turvy" nature of the match while celebrating the achievement of finishing on the podium. Before the game, Tuchel had spoken about the "pain" and "scars" his squad carried from their semifinal elimination.bbc+1

Bittersweet Legacy

For France, the defeat capped a tournament in which they fell short of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final after Spain ended their run with a 2-0 semifinal victory. Yet Mbappé's record ensures his legacy transcends the result. At just 27, with potentially another World Cup ahead of him in 2030, the all-time mark may yet grow further.youtube

"None of us wanted this game," Tuchel had said before kickoff, capturing the sentiment of both sides who had arrived in Miami dreaming of a final, not a consolation match.instagram