Kylian Mbappe achieved a historic milestone during France’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, but the forward admitted it brought little satisfaction after his team failed to reach the final.

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The France captain scored twice in the third-place playoff against England, taking his overall FIFA World Cup tally to 22 goals. That moved him ahead of Lionel Messi’s previous mark of 21, making Mbappe the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer.

His brace also lifted him to 10 goals for the 2026 tournament, leaving him at the top of the Golden Boot standings before the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.

Record comes in France’s defeat to England

Mbappe’s landmark came in a dramatic 6-4 defeat to England in the bronze medal match.

France found themselves 4-0 behind at halftime before producing a spirited response after the break. Mbappe scored twice to spark hopes of an unlikely comeback, but Bukayo Saka’s hat-trick helped England stay in control and secure third place.

The result came just days after France’s 2-0 semifinal defeat to Spain, ending their hopes of reaching a third consecutive FIFA World Cup final under Didier Deschamps.

Mbappe says he would rather be playing the final

Despite becoming the tournament’s most prolific goalscorer, Mbappe made it clear that team success remained far more important than individual achievements.

Speaking after the defeat, he acknowledged that Messi still had the chance to reduce the gap in the World Cup final.

“Messi is going to score, that’s for sure. I’m just trying to help my team win. When you score a lot of goals at the World Cup, it puts you in a certain category,” Mbappé said.

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He admitted that the personal record could not make up for France missing out on the biggest match of the tournament. “I would have preferred not to be the all-time top scorer and to be playing tomorrow’s match. It’s good in terms of legacy, but today it’s not the first thing on my mind,” Mbappe added. 

Three World Cups, one historic achievement

Mbappe’s record has been built across three outstanding FIFA World Cup campaigns.

He scored four goals during France’s title-winning run in 2018 before adding eight more as Les Bleus reached the 2022 final. His 10-goal haul in 2026 pushed his career total to 22, making him the first player to reach that mark in World Cup history.

Even with the record secured, the timing of the achievement reflected France’s disappointment after falling short of another appearance in the final.

End of an era for Didier Deschamps

The defeat against England also marked Didier Deschamps’ final match as France head coach. Deschamps leaves after a successful 14-year spell in charge, guiding France to three consecutive FIFA World Cup semifinals and two appearances in the final.

Mbappe’s latest milestone became one of the defining moments of Deschamps’ final tournament, but the France captain’s reaction highlighted where his priorities remained. While the scoring record adds another chapter to his remarkable World Cup career, his focus was firmly on France’s missed opportunity to compete for the trophy rather than the personal achievement.

FAQs

What FIFA World Cup record did Kylian Mbappe break?

Mbappe became the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer with 22 career goals, surpassing Lionel Messi.

What did Mbappe say after setting the World Cup record?

Mbappe said he would rather have been playing in the World Cup final than become the tournament’s all-time top scorer.