Kylian Mbappe became the first player to win the World Cup Golden Boot twice after Lionel Messi failed to add to his tally in Sunday’s final. As a result, the France captain finished the tournament with 10 goals, well clear of Argentina great Messi, who ended on eight. England midfielder Jude Bellingham and Norway striker Erling Haaland each scored seven times to round out the top of the standings.
Mbappe matches his 2022 heroics
Real Madrid forward Mbappe, 27, also won the World Cup Golden Boot at the 2022 tournament in Qatar with eight goals, though France lost that final to Argentina. This time around, he sealed the award with a two-goal display in Saturday’s third-place playoff, which England won 6-4. Mbappe made his World Cup debut in 2018, and he has since built one of the most prolific scoring records the tournament has ever seen.
Thanks to that tally, Mbappe is now the outright top scorer in World Cup history, with 22 goals across three tournaments, one ahead of Messi. However, Messi struggled to make an impact in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat by Spain, closing out his World Cup career without adding to his total.
“When you score that many goals in the World Cup, it certainly takes you to a whole new level,” Mbappe said after the match against England. “But I would have preferred not to be the top scorer and to have played in the final. It’s good for my legacy once I’ve retired, but right now, that’s not what’s on my mind.”
Outgoing France coach Didier Deschamps, who has guided Mbappe through each of his World Cup campaigns, called him an extraordinary player and a brilliant captain.
Spain sweeps the remaining awards
Meanwhile, Spain claimed the rest of the major individual honors. Midfielder Rodri won the Golden Ball as player of the tournament, while teammate Unai Simon claimed the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper after conceding just once in eight games. Additionally, 19-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi picked up the FIFA Young Player award, giving Spain a near-complete sweep of the tournament’s top prizes.
