Kylian Mbappé Clinches Golden Boot at FIFA World Cup 2026
Mbappé's Remarkable Achievement
File image of Kylian Mbappé(Photo: @Kylian/X)
New York, July 20: Kylian Mbappé, the captain of the French national team, has successfully secured the Golden Boot for the FIFA World Cup 2026, marking his second consecutive win as the tournament's top scorer after his triumph in Qatar 2022.
In a thrilling Bronze final held in Miami, Mbappé scored twice, bringing his total to ten goals, despite France's 6-4 loss to England. He previously netted eight goals in the last World Cup, making him the first player to achieve the Golden Boot twice.
At just 27 years old, Mbappé is the first player to reach double digits in World Cup goals since Gerd Müller in 1970. Only Just Fontaine, with 13 goals in 1958, and Sandor Kocsis, who scored 11 in 1954, have surpassed his tally in a single tournament.
Mbappé began his scoring spree in the opening match against Senegal, where he netted two goals, making him the all-time leading scorer for France. He followed this with two goals against Iraq and another pair against Sweden in the Round of 16. He also scored the decisive goal against Paraguay and added to his tally against Morocco in the quarter-finals.
His stellar performance continued in the third-place match against England, where he scored twice. Lionel Messi finished as the second-highest scorer with eight goals, while Jude Bellingham secured third place with seven.
Throughout June and July, Mbappé showcased exceptional form, leading France to the semi-finals, where they faced a 2-0 defeat against Spain. He previously scored four goals during France's 2018 World Cup victory and added eight more in the 2022 tournament.
His impressive double-digit goal tally allowed him to outpace Lionel Messi, with whom he frequently exchanged positions in the Golden Boot race, as Messi concluded his campaign with eight goals.
In addition to the Golden Boot, Mbappé was awarded the Bronze Ball for his outstanding performances, including a crucial penalty against Paraguay and the opening goal in France's 2-0 victory over Morocco, before scoring twice in the match against England.