Kylian Mbappé Breaks Lionel Messi's Record, Becoming the All-Time Top Goalscorer in the History of the FIFA World Cup.

Kylian Mbappe has once again etched his name into the golden history of global football. The France national team striker officially became the all-time top goalscorer in FIFA World Cup final tournament history after netting a brace during Les Bleus' 4-6 loss to England in the 2026 World Cup third place play-off, held at Miami Stadium, United States on Sunday 19 July 2026.

Despite securing this prestigious individual record, Mbappe confirmed this achievement has done nothing to soften his disappointment after France failed to progress to the tournament final. Les Bleus had previously been eliminated following a 0-2 semi-final defeat against Spain.

"I would give up being the all-time World Cup top goalscorer if it meant I could play in tomorrow's final. This is good for my career legacy, but right now it is not the first thing on my mind," Mbappe stated after the match, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

Surpassing Lionel Messi's Record

The two goals scored against England bring Mbappe's total World Cup final tournament tally to 22 goals. This figure overtakes the previous all-time record held by Lionel Messi, who had accumulated 21 goals.

However Mbappe's record is not yet final. Messi retains the opportunity to add to his goal count, as he is scheduled to line up for Argentina against Spain in the 2026 World Cup final on Monday 20 July, kicking off at 02.00 WIB.

Mbappe's goalscoring output at the World Cup has been exceptional. The Real Madrid forward has scored his 22 goals across just 22 World Cup matches.

Breakdown of his tally: Mbappe scored four goals as France lifted the 2018 World Cup trophy, netted eight goals at the 2022 edition where Les Bleus finished runners-up to Argentina, before adding a further 10 goals throughout the 2026 tournament.

Still Leading The Golden Boot Race

Alongside breaking the all-time goals record, the brace against England also solidified Mbappe's position at the very top of the 2026 World Cup goalscoring charts.

The 27 year old striker now holds 10 tournament goals, with a two goal buffer over Lionel Messi, who still has one remaining match in the final.

Even as he stands on the cusp of winning the Golden Boot award, Mbappe reaffirmed that his core target from the start of the tournament was to deliver victory for France, not chase individual honours.

"I am sure Messi will score tomorrow. I only ever try to help my team win. When you score this many goals at the World Cup, it puts you in a certain category," Mbappe commented.

This approach confirms that for Mbappe, collective team success remains the absolute priority over personal achievements, even now his name stands officially recorded as the greatest goalscorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup final tournament.