Kylian Mbappé passes Lionel Messi for career World Cup scoring record with 22 goals

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Kylian Mbappé made history at the World Cup on Saturday. He would have preferred a different outcome.

The France star moved past Argentina's Lionel Messi for the career World Cup scoring record with 22 goals, scoring twice in a 6-4 loss to England in Saturday's third-place match.

Mbappé finished this World Cup with 10 goals, two more than Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, which is awarded to the tournament's top scorer. Should he remain ahead of Messi after Argentina plays Spain in Sunday's final, he would become the first player to win the Golden Boot twice.

“I would have preferred not to be the top scorer in history,” Mbappé told Fox Sports in French, “and play in the match tomorrow.”

Les Bleus missed out on a chance at playing in their third straight World Cup final when they lost to Spain in the semifinals.

Mbappé scored eight goals to win the Golden Boot four years ago in Qatar, where France lost to Messi and Argentina in a penalty shootout in the final.

His 10 in this year’s tournament matched the third most in a World Cup. Just Fontaine had a record 13 goals for France in 1958, Sandor Kocsis of Hungary scored 11 in 1954, and West Germany’s Gerd Müller had 10 in 1970.

Mbappé's quest for the Golden Boot appeared to be going nowhere when France trailed 4-0 at halftime.

Then Mbappé and France came alive in the second half. He flicked a shot past England goalkeeper Dean Henderson in the 48th minute to begin a rally for Les Bleus, who also got goals from Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé. Michael Olise added two assists, setting a record with seven in this World Cup, one more than Brazil's Pelé, who had six assists in 1970.

France pulled within 4-3 on Mbappé’s second goal, when he beat Henderson again with a left-footed strike from about 14 yards in the 66th minute to pass Messi's career mark of 21 goals.

“There were two very different halves,” Mbappé said. “During the first one, I can understand why some people think we made fools of ourselves and didn’t do the jersey justice. I’d say instead that we were human — and we can’t afford to be. We were completely stunned, and they really shook us awake.”

He said French players wanted to win for Didier Deschamps, who coached his final game with the national team.

“In the end, we didn’t win, and that’s a shame for the coach,” Mbappé said. “The first half gives the impression that we let him down — that’s not at all how we wanted him to feel. This match isn’t going to tarnish Didier Deschamps’ legacy.”

France won the World Cup under Deschamps in 2018, lost a gut-wrenching final to Argentina on penalties in 2022, and was shut down offensively by Spain in the semifinals. It was a disappointing end to Deschamps' 14-year tenure after his star-studded squad was among the favorites to win another World Cup.

Zinedine Zidane is widely expected to be confirmed as Deschamps' successor in the coming days by the French soccer federation.

“It is the end of a journey which represented the most beautiful period,” Deschamps said. “When I started in 2012 ... I put the put the French team first.”

Deschamps embraced players on the pitch before exiting, and he defended Mbappé in his news conference.

“I know he has been given an image that is not true to reality,” the coach said through an interpreter. “He is an incredible captain, and like many of these players, he has evolved. He is disappointed that he did not manage to compete in the final.”

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) takes a shot as England's Ezri Konsa (2) defends during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) scores their first goal past England goalkeeper Dean Henderson (13) during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) kicks the ball during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) scores his side's 3rd goal during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) celebrates scoring his side's third goal as England's Jarell Quansah (26) reacts to the score during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Lionel Messi has quite a climb to catch Kylian Mbappé for the Golden Boot.

The Argentina superstar has won just about everything in soccer except for the award for being the leading scorer at the World Cup, and he’s now two behind Mbappé after the France striker upped his total to 10 goals in a wild third-place game.

Even if Messi can’t get there, a record-extending third Golden Ball as the tournament's best player seems well in reach after Sunday's World Cup final against Spain in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

He’s already the only player to win the award multiple times since it was first given in 1978, and sparking Argentina's run to a second straight final at age 39 gives him a strong case for another.

“He is the history. He is the legend,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.

The other awards to be presented Sunday for performances at the World Cup are the Golden Glove for the top goalkeeper, and the Best Young Player Award, given to the top player 21 years old or younger.

Spain is in good shape to win at least one if not both of those, with Unai Simón allowing only one goal in seven games and 19-year-old Yamine Lamal providing the dazzle up front and showing why he is already considered one of the most promising players in the world.

Messi is at the other end of a career in which he’s won the Ballon d’Or, given to soccer's player of the year, a record eight times.

The Golden Boot has eluded him, but he had the lead going into the final two matches of this year's tournament. Both Messi and Mbappé had eight goals through the semifinals, but Messi owned the tiebreaker with one more assist.

Mbappé then scored twice Saturday in France’s 6-4 loss to England, making him the first player with 10 goals in a World Cup since Germany great Gerd Müller had 10 in 1970.

Mbappé also won the Golden Boot four years ago in Qatar, when France lost to Argentina in the final. This time, he could join players such as Italy’s Salvatore Schillaci in 1990, Croatia's Davor Suker in 1998 and Germany’s Thomas Müller in 2010 as players whose goals in a third-place game carried them to the Golden Boot.

Should Messi beat out Mbappé in an Argentina victory, he would be the first Golden Boot winner to play for the champion since Ronaldo scored eight goals when Brazil won the title in 2002.

He may not need any goals to secure another Golden Ball.

Messi won that trophy for the first time in 2014, when Argentina was the runner-up, and again in 2022 when his seven goals in seven games powered his country to its third title.

The Golden Ball, Golden Glove and the Best Young Player Award are voted on by members of the media from a list of players compiled by the FIFA Technical Study Group.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Referee Ivan Barton, of El Salvador, gestures to Spain's Lamine Yamal during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) walks off the pttch after the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between France and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) reacts during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)