Kylian Mbappe Becomes All-Time Leading Scorer in FIFA World Cup History

Mbappe Sets New Record

Kylian Mbappe, the captain of France, has made history by surpassing Lionel Messi to become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. During the third-place playoff against England in Miami on Saturday, he scored two goals in the second half, bringing his total to 22 World Cup goals, one ahead of Messi's 21.

Mbappe's Historic Goals

After trailing 4-0 at halftime, France made a quick comeback just three minutes into the second half. Dayot Upamecano delivered a precise pass into the penalty area, allowing Mbappe to calmly slot the ball into the bottom-right corner in the 48th minute, tying him with Messi's previous record. His second goal came in the 66th minute, following a goal from Bradley Barcola in the 54th minute, narrowing England's lead to 4-3 and establishing him as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. The goal was a result of a clever flick from Michael Olise, which Mbappe controlled before finishing with a left-footed shot past Dean Henderson.

A Tournament Filled with Records

Prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Miroslav Klose held the record for the most goals scored in World Cup history. However, Messi broke this record after netting his first World Cup hat-trick in Argentina's opening match against Algeria. He continued to score throughout the tournament, including a brace against Austria and additional goals in matches against Jordan, Cabo Verde, and Egypt.

Golden Boot Competition

Entering the 2026 FIFA World Cup with 12 career goals, Mbappe had already scored eight goals in the tournament before the playoff against England. His two goals in this match brought his total to 10 in the current edition, placing him at the top of the Golden Boot race, ahead of Messi, who has eight goals.