Kylian Mbappé of France has set a new World Cup scoring record, achieving his 22nd goal in the tournament during France’s match against England. This performance took place in the third-place playoff, where France was defeated 6-4 by England in Miami. Mbappé’s brace in this game allowed him to surpass Lionel Messi’s previous record for most goals in the World Cup.
The 27-year-old French captain scored in the 48th minute, drawing level with Messi’s 21 World Cup goals. He then found the net again in the 66th minute, establishing himself as the all-time leading goal-scorer in the tournament’s history with 22 goals. This achievement also placed him at the top of the Golden Boot standings for the current tournament with 10 goals, ahead of Messi, who had 8 goals after the semi-finals.
Match Highlights and French Comeback
The third-place playoff was a high-scoring affair, with England taking a significant lead in the first half. Declan Rice scored in the third minute, followed by Ezri Konsa in the 18th minute. Bukayo Saka added two goals in the 37th minute and in first-half stoppage time, giving England a 4-0 lead at halftime.
France mounted a comeback in the second half, with Mbappé initiating the revival with his goal three minutes into the second half. Bradley Barcola further reduced the deficit six minutes later, scoring in the 54th minute. Mbappé’s second goal in the 66th minute brought the score to 4-3, contributing to a dramatic turn in the match.
Despite France’s efforts, England managed to secure their victory. Bukayo Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 87th minute. Ousmane Dembélé scored France’s fourth goal deep into stoppage time, making the score 5-4. Jude Bellingham then sealed England’s 6-4 win with a solo goal in the 98th minute, securing third place for his team.
Mbappé’s World Cup Journey and Records
Mbappé’s 22 goals have been scored across 22 World Cup appearances, maintaining an average of one goal per game across the 2018, 2022, and 2026 tournaments. In comparison, Messi achieved his 21 World Cup goals over 31 appearances before the current tournament’s final. Mbappé’s World Cup career includes winning the Young Player Award in 2018 and scoring a hat-trick in the 2022 final.
Beyond the all-time scoring record, Mbappé has also become the player with the most non-penalty goals in World Cup history, with 19, surpassing Messi’s tally of 17. He also overtook Olivier Giroud to become France’s all-time leading scorer during this tournament.
Golden Boot Race and Upcoming Final
Mbappé’s performance in the third-place playoff significantly impacted the race for the Golden Boot. Before the match, Messi led the standings with 8 goals and 4 assists. However, Mbappé’s two goals and one assist in the playoff propelled him to 10 goals and 4 assists, placing him in a strong position to claim the award.
The current standings for the top scorers are: Kylian Mbappé (France) with 10 goals and 4 assists, Lionel Messi (Argentina) with 8 goals and 4 assists, Jude Bellingham (England) with 7 goals and 1 assist, Ousmane Dembélé (France) with 6 goals and 2 assists, and Harry Kane (England) with 6 goals and 1 assist.
Despite Mbappé’s record-breaking day, Messi will have one final opportunity to reclaim the Golden Boot and the World Cup scoring record. The 39-year-old Argentinian is set to lead Argentina in the World Cup final against Spain on Sunday.
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Source: aljazeera.com
