Kylian Mbappé Becomes FIFA World Cup’s All-Time Leading Goalscorer

Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail

France forward Kylian Mbappé made FIFA World Cup history by becoming the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer after scoring twice in France’s 6-4 loss to England in the third-place playoff.

The two goals took Mbappé’s overall World Cup tally to 22, moving him ahead of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who entered the final with 21 goals. While Messi was still set to play in the World Cup final against Spain, the match was widely expected to be his final appearance at the tournament.

Mbappé also finished the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the tournament’s top scorer, ending the competition with 10 goals to secure the Golden Boot. He finished two goals ahead of Messi in the scoring charts.

The Real Madrid star reached the historic milestone in just 22 World Cup appearances. He previously scored four goals during France’s successful 2018 World Cup campaign and added another eight goals in 2022, when France reached the final before finishing as runners-up.

Speaking after the match, Mbappé acknowledged the personal achievement but emphasized that team success remains his biggest priority. He said individual records are meaningful, but he would have preferred competing in the World Cup final rather than the third-place playoff.

At only 27 years of age, Mbappé is expected to have more opportunities to represent France on football’s biggest stage, giving him the chance to extend his remarkable World Cup scoring record in future tournaments.

His latest achievement further strengthens his reputation as one of the greatest players of his generation and adds another milestone to an already outstanding international career.