Kylian Mbappe became the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history after scoring twice for France against England in the 2026 World Cup third-place playoff. Mbappe (22) moved past Lionel Messi‘s tally of 21 goals with another clinical display on the biggest stage. Mbappe had little impact in the opening half as England surged into a commanding 4-0 lead, but he came out firing after the restart. He struck twice before the second-half hydration break to give France a glimmer of hope and add another landmark to his remarkable World Cup career. The brace also took his tally to 10 goals in the tournament, putting him ahead of Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. Even as France faced an uphill battle, Mbappe once again showed his ability to perform in the biggest matches and continued to rewrite the World Cup record books.
Before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Miroslav Klose held the all-time tournament scoring record with 16 goals. Messi surpassed that mark during the group stage, with Mbappe soon joining him by moving ahead of the former Germany striker. After France’s semi-final defeat to Spain, Didier Deschamps named Mbappe in the starting XI for the third-place playoff, the final match of his tenure as national team coach. The France captain had been kept quiet against Spain, ending his impressive scoring run, but returned to his best against England.
Mbappe struck twice in the second half to continue his remarkable World Cup record, adding another milestone to his career while strengthening his lead in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot.
France vs England FIFA World Cup Highlights
England hit 4 goals in first half
Earlier, in the first half, England produced a ruthless first-half performance, racing into a commanding 4-0 lead over France in the third-place playoff. Declan Rice opened the scoring before Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage with a well-taken finish. Bukayo Saka then took centre stage, scoring twice to cap a superb opening 45 minutes as England carved through the French defence with pace and precision. The emphatic display came despite Thomas Tuchel leaving Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane on the bench after admitting before the match that neither team had wanted to play in the third-place playoff. Saka made the most of his opportunity, delivering his finest performance of the tournament with a clinical brace, while England’s attacking intent stood in stark contrast to the cautious approach that had drawn criticism in their semi-final defeat to Argentina.
