Kylian Mbappé Passes Lionel Messi on the All-Time World Cup Goals List

Published: Jul 18, 2026, 06:40 PM ET

What Happened?

Imagine the World Cup is like a giant coloring book, and every time a player scores a goal, they get to color in one square. Kylian Mbappé just colored in two more squares!

• Mbappé scored his 21st and 22nd career World Cup goals during France’s third-place playoff match against England on Saturday.
• This means he has now scored more World Cup goals than Lionel Messi ever did, jumping ahead of him on the all-time list.

The Crazy Comeback Match

France had a really rough start. Here’s how the game went:

1. In the first half (the first 45 minutes), France was losing 4–0 to England. Yikes!
2. But then Mbappé scored a quick first-time goal in the 48th minute (right after halftime).
3. His teammate Bradley Barcola scored next, making it 4–2.
4. In the 66th minute, Mbappé scored again, making the score 4–3 and giving France a thrilling comeback.

Important Point: Mbappé is the captain of France, and his two goals (called a "brace") helped France almost erase a huge deficit against England.

How Messi Got His Record First

Before Mbappé passed him, Messi had built up his own big number:

• Messi scored a hat trick (that’s 3 goals in one game!) in Argentina’s first match of the tournament.
• He moved past the old record holder, Miroslav Klose, by scoring two goals against Austria.
• He then added more goals against:
  • Jordan
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
• This gave Messi a total that Mbappé has now surpassed.

The Golden Boot Race

There’s also a contest for the most goals in this specific tournament (not all-time, just this one):

• Mbappé has scored 10 goals in North America (where this World Cup is being held).
• Messi has scored 8 goals.
• So Mbappé is currently winning the Golden Boot race (the award for top scorer of the tournament).

Mbappé’s World Cup Story

Mbappé is like a superhero who showed up young and kept getting stronger:

• In 2018, he won the Young Player of the Tournament award, scored 4 goals, and helped France win the whole thing.
• In 2022 (four years later), he scored a hat trick in the final but couldn’t stop Messi’s Argentina from winning.
• He is now 27 years old.

Messi’s Long Journey

Messi’s story is like a slow-burning candle:

• Early in his career, he was amazing for his club (Barcelona) but struggled to do the same for his country.
• In the later years of his career, he found his magic in the World Cup.
• He won the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, which many people felt was his destiny.
• Eight years before that, in 2014, he lost in the final to Germany.
• Now he is 39 years old and playing in his sixth World Cup.
• He has a chance to take the record back from Mbappé when Argentina plays Spain in the final on Sunday!

Important Point: The all-time World Cup goals record is now held by Mbappé (22 goals), but Messi could tie or pass him in the upcoming final.

Summary

Kylian Mbappé scored two goals against England to reach 22 career World Cup goals, passing Lionel Messi’s total. He also leads the current tournament’s Golden Boot race with 10 goals vs. Messi’s 8. France almost came back from a 4–0 deficit in the third-place match. Messi, at 39, can reclaim the record in Sunday’s final against Spain. Both players have had incredible World Cup journeys!

FAQ

Q: What is a "brace" in soccer?
A: A brace means a player scored 2 goals in the same match. Mbappé scored a brace against England.

Q: What is the Golden Boot?
A: It’s the award given to the player who scores the most goals in a single World Cup tournament. Right now, Mbappé is ahead with 10 goals.

Q: Who held the World Cup goals record before Messi?
A: A player named Miroslav Klose held it until Messi passed him by scoring twice against Austria in this tournament.

Q: Can Messi get the record back?
A: Yes! If Messi scores at least 2 goals in the final against Spain, he will tie or pass Mbappé’s 22-goal record.