Mbappe Breaks Messi's Record, Slavko Vincic Will Officiate the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final

Sentul, Bogor – Kylian Mbappé has once again proven himself as one of the greatest strikers in the history of world football.

The France national team forward officially became the all-time top goalscorer in FIFA World Cup final tournament history after netting two goals during France's 6-4 loss to England in the 2026 World Cup third place play-off, held at Miami Stadium, United States on Sunday (19/7/2026).

These two goals brought Mbappé's total World Cup finals tally to 22 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi's previous record of 21. This achievement is made even more remarkable as it was accomplished across just 22 matches, dating back to his World Cup debut in 2018.

Despite this milestone, Mbappé confirmed that this individual record has done little to ease his disappointment, after France failed to reach the final following a 0-2 semi-final defeat against Spain.

"I would give up this all-time top goalscorer title entirely if it meant I could be playing in tomorrow's final. This is a good mark for my career legacy, but right now it is not the first thing on my mind," Mbappé stated, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

Mbappé's goalscoring form across three consecutive World Cup tournaments has been extraordinary. He scored 4 goals on the way to France's 2018 World Cup victory, netted 8 goals as France finished runners-up in 2022, and added a further 10 goals throughout the 2026 edition.

His double against England also cemented the Real Madrid player's position at the top of the 2026 World Cup goalscoring charts. Mbappé currently holds 10 goals, with a 2 goal lead over Lionel Messi - who will have the opportunity to add to his own tally when Argentina face Spain in the tournament final.

Even as he stands on the verge of claiming the World Cup Golden Boot, Mbappé reaffirmed that his core target from the very start was to help France become world champions.

"I am certain Messi will score tomorrow. All I ever set out to do was help my team win. When you score this many goals at a World Cup, it puts you in a certain category," he said.

Meanwhile, FIFA also announced the appointment of Slavko Vinčić as the referee who will officiate the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, taking place at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey on Monday (20/7/2026) WIB.

This appointment marks a major career milestone for the 46-year-old Slovenian official. Vinčić is the first ever Slovenian referee entrusted with a World Cup final, and becomes only the 23rd referee in history to lead the showpiece match of the quadrennial tournament.

"First of all it was a complete shock. Then the happiness hit. I was actually trembling. It is an incredible honour to referee a World Cup final," Vinčić told FIFA.

Prior to receiving this final appointment, Vinčić holds an extensive track record officiating at the highest level of international football. He has previously refereed the 2022 UEFA Europa League Final, 2024 UEFA Champions League Final, the Euro 2024 semi-final between France and Spain, as well as multiple fixtures at both the 2022 and 2026 World Cups.

For the upcoming final, Vinčić will be assisted by fellow Slovenian match officials Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic. Adham Makhadmeh of Jordan will serve as fourth official. For the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team, FIFA has appointed Germany's Bastian Dankert, who will be supported by Nicolas Gallo and Khamis Al Marri.

Discussion surrounding Kylian Mbappé's historic record, the ongoing Golden Boot race, and Slavko Vinčić's appointment as final referee are among the core main topics featured on the ITSMe World Cup Roundup Podcast.

Hosted by Syafira and Dila from ITSMe Studio in Sentul, Bogor, this podcast covers exclusive facts, match analysis, and behind the scenes stories ahead of the blockbuster 2026 World Cup final showdown between Spain and Argentina.

KylianMbappe WorldCup2026 LionelMessi WorldCupFinal SpainVsArgentina SlavkoVincic