Mbappé Overtakes Messi as World Cup’s All-Time Leading Scorer Ahead of Historic Final

Kylian Mbappé has rewritten FIFA World Cup history, surpassing Lionel Messi to become the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer just a day before Argentina captain Messi takes the field in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.

The French superstar reached the landmark during France’s dramatic 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff on Saturday. Mbappé struck twice in the second half, taking his career World Cup tally to 22 goals and moving past Messi at the top of the tournament’s all-time scoring charts.

Although France finished fourth after an entertaining encounter, Mbappé’s personal achievement added another remarkable chapter to his already glittering international career.

The 27-year-old admitted, however, that the individual milestone offered little consolation after missing out on another World Cup final.

“Leo scores all the time. Tomorrow he will score for sure,” Mbappé said after the match. “I try to help my team by scoring goals, but honestly I would rather have been playing in the final than become the World Cup’s all-time top scorer.”

He added that while records contribute to a player’s legacy, winning football’s biggest prize remains the ultimate objective.

France endured a disastrous opening half against England, falling 4-0 behind before launching an impressive comeback after the interval. Mbappé ignited the fightback with a clinical finish shortly after halftime and added another goal midway through the second period. Bradley Barcola also found the net, while France scored a fourth late on, but England held firm behind Bukayo Saka’s hat-trick and Jude Bellingham’s goal to secure victory.

Mbappé’s latest brace also strengthened his position in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot. The Real Madrid forward now leads the scoring charts with 10 goals, while Messi has netted eight heading into the World Cup final.

Despite losing the all-time record, Messi has an immediate opportunity to reclaim it when Argentina face Spain on Sunday. The Argentine captain, playing in his sixth World Cup at the age of 39, needs multiple goals in the final to move back ahead of his long-time rival.

Messi’s remarkable scoring run in this tournament began with a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening match before adding braces and crucial strikes in the knockout rounds, helping the defending champions return to consecutive World Cup finals.

Mbappé’s rise as a World Cup icon has been equally extraordinary. He burst onto the international stage during France’s triumphant 2018 campaign, winning the tournament’s Young Player award, and further cemented his reputation with a memorable hat-trick in the 2022 final against Argentina, despite finishing on the losing side.

Now, with 22 World Cup goals to his name, Mbappé stands alone atop the competition’s all-time scoring list—at least for the next 24 hours.

All eyes now turn to MetLife Stadium, where Messi has one final chance to reclaim the record while leading Argentina in pursuit of back-to-back FIFA World Cup titles against a youthful Spain side led by Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal.