Mbappé equals Messi's all-time WCup goal record
SkimNews Take
World Cup goal tallies reward longevity and match volume over clutch impact — Mbappé's record total includes scores from a third-place playoff with no trophy at stake, illustrating how these historical marks accumulate in dead rubbers rather than decisive moments.
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Kylian Mbappé scored his 21st and 22nd career World Cup goals during France's 6-4 defeat to England, moving ahead of Lionel Messi on the all-time tournament scoring list.
- France mounted a comeback from 4-0 down in the third-place playoff, scoring four goals in the second half, including two by Mbappé, before falling short.
- England secured third place with a 6-4 win over France, powered by a hat trick from Bukayo Saka and a goal from Jude Bellingham in a high-scoring clash.
- Lionel Messi now trails Mbappé with 20 World Cup goals and has a chance to reclaim the record if he scores in Sunday’s final against Spain.
- Mbappé stated he would have preferred to play in the final rather than hold the all-time scoring record, emphasizing team success over individual milestones.
Why it matters: Mbappé now holds the World Cup’s all-time scoring record with 22 goals, a tangible edge over Messi in legacy metrics, but the record comes without a final appearance—undermining its prestige for the player himself and highlighting the tension between individual achievement and team success at the highest level.
