Kylian Mbappe has become the first player to win the World Cup Golden Boot twice after earning the award for top scorer at the 2026 tournament.
Having struck eight times to finish top scorer at Qatar 2022, Mbappe has won the Golden Boot in back-to-back World Cups.
The France and Real Madrid striker scored twice against England in a 6-4 defeat in the third-place playoff to take his total for the tournament to 10, and he becomes the first player to win the Golden Boot in two World Cups (2022, 2026). The 27-year-old was the first man to reach double figures for World Cup goals since Gerd Muller for West Germany in 1970.
Mbappé saw off competition from Argentina’s Messi (eight goals), Norway’s Erling Haaland (seven), England’s Jude Bellingham (seven) and Harry Kane (six) and teammate Ousmane Dembele (six).
Messi could have overtaken the Real Madrid forward with a hat-trick in the World Cup final on Sunday. However, the 39-year-old could not find the net in New Jersey as his Argentina side were beaten 1-0 by Spain, and ended the competition with eight goals in as many matches.
Mbappe is also now the men’s World Cup all-time top scorer with 22 goals – one ahead of Messi.
