Mbappe usurps Messi again and becomes World Cup all-time record goalscorer

France captain Kylian Mbappé has become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history after scoring twice in France’s third-place play-off against England at the 2026 tournament.

The two goals took Mbappé’s overall World Cup tally to 22, surpassing Lionel Messi’s previous record and strengthening his bid for the tournament’s Golden Boot after scoring 10 goals during the 2026 campaign.

The 27-year-old reached the milestone in just 22 World Cup appearances, compared with Messi’s 32 matches, maintaining an average of one goal per game across his World Cup career. Mbappé has featured in the 2018, 2022 and 2026 editions of the tournament, helping France win the World Cup in 2018 and reach two subsequent finals, further cementing his status as one of the country’s greatest footballers.

The Real Madrid forward has captained France since 2023 under head coach Didier Deschamps and also became his country’s all-time leading goalscorer during the 2026 World Cup, overtaking Olivier Giroud. Despite entering the tournament after an injury-disrupted season with Real Madrid, Mbappé delivered another prolific campaign for Les Bleus.

His record could still come under threat, with Messi having the opportunity to add to his tally in Argentina’s World Cup final against Spain. However, at 27, Mbappé is significantly younger than the Argentine captain and is expected to feature in several more World Cup tournaments, giving him the opportunity to extend his record further.