France left the 2026 FIFA World Cup without a medal, but Kylian Mbappé walked away with history at his feet. The Real Madrid forward scored twice in a thrilling 6-4 defeat to England in the third place play off to become the tournament’s all time leading scorer and move to the top of the Golden Boot race.
Mbappé’s record breaking night came in a match packed with drama. England stormed into a 4-0 first half lead through Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and a Bukayo Saka hat trick, leaving Thomas Tuchel’s side in complete control. France refused to surrender, and their captain sparked an inspired fightback that briefly turned the contest into one of the games of the tournament.
The French superstar scored twice and also helped create Bradley Barcola’s goal as Les Bleus closed the gap to 4-3. England eventually regained control to secure a 6-4 victory and the bronze medal, but the final whistle belonged to Mbappé rather than the winning side.
His second goal was one for the history books. It took his World Cup tally to 22 goals across three tournaments, moving him ahead of Lionel Messi and former Germany striker Miroslav Klose to become the greatest scorer the competition has ever seen.
The strike also carried another reward. Mbappé finished the tournament with 10 goals and four assists, becoming the first player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to score 10 goals at a single World Cup. Only Just Fontaine, Sándor Kocsis, and Müller had previously reached double figures in one edition.
The Golden Boot race now heavily favours the France captain. His 10 goals put him two clear of Messi, who entered the final on eight goals and would need an extraordinary performance to catch him. With both players also recording four assists before the final, Mbappé has placed one hand firmly on the tournament’s top scoring prize.
Another record also fell during France’s remarkable comeback. Michael Olise registered his seventh assist of the competition, surpassing Pelé’s long standing single tournament record from 1970. Five of those assists came for Mbappé, highlighting a partnership that became one of the defining stories of the World Cup.
France may have fallen short of the podium, but Mbappé once again proved that the biggest stages bring out his very best. At just 27, he has already rewritten football history, and with more World Cups likely ahead, his remarkable record could stand for decades.
