Kylian Mbappe took the record of all-time leading scorer in World Cup history away from Lionel Messi after scoring a brace in the third-place match against England that ended 6-4. However, the French number 10 did not hesitate and sent a message to the reigning world champion with total certainty that he would steal the Golden Boot.
“Tomorrow, Messi is going to score a goal for sure. Messi always scores,” Mbappe commented with total confidence after the match. Mbappe remains certain that Messi will catch him in the all-time World Cup scoring record, sending this message for him to score against Spain.
Messi sits just one goal away from catching Mbappe and at least sharing the first place of top scorers for the next four years. Nevertheless, for Mbappe, the most important thing was to play in the final rather than hold the goal record. “I would like to not be the top scorer and play tomorrow’s match,” Mbappe added, knowing that, for the first time in his career, he will not play in the World Cup final.
A bitter-sweet finish
Mbappe departs the World Cup with a new brace, his seventh multi-goal game in World Cups, but it serves for nothing after receiving six goals from the English side, an outcome that ultimately relegates them to fourth place in the tournament—marking the worst statistical team finish in Mbappe’s career.
Lionel Messi of Argentina.
With 10 goals in this tournament with France, he surpasses Lionel Messi as the top scorer in World Cup history, reaching 22 total goals (one more than the Argentine). The Real Madrid forward scored in the 48th minute of the third-place match with a cross-shot, and added his second in the 66th minute, both thanks to assists from Michael Olise.
Mbappe was one of four French players who repeated as a starter after playing the semifinal match against Spain, aiming to surpass Messi, who has eight goals but had delivered one more assist than the Frenchman in the race for the Golden Boot.
Messi and a mission
Argentina face Spain in their second consecutive final on July 19, where Lionel Messi has the mission—though now without a heavy burden on his hands—to become back-to-back world champions. Along the way, he will fight and try to secure the Golden Boot to close out a legendary participation in the World Cup in a great way.
