Kylian Mbappe became the first player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot on two occasions after finishing as the leading scorer at the 2026 tournament, while newly crowned champions Spain collected the remaining major individual honours.
The France captain struck 10 goals in eight appearances to finish ahead of Lionel Messi in the scoring charts. Having also won the Golden Boot with eight goals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Mbappe is now the first player to claim the award at consecutive editions.
Mbappe reached double figures thanks to a brace in France’s 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place play-off. Those goals also took his overall World Cup tally to 22, moving him one clear of Messi as the men’s all-time leading scorer in the competition. Only France’s Just Fontaine (13 in 1958) and Hungary’s Sandor Kocsis (11 in 1954) have scored more goals in a single World Cup than Mbappe managed this summer.
Despite the individual accolade, Mbappe admitted he would have traded the award for a place in the final.
“When you score that many goals in the World Cup, it certainly takes you to a whole new level,” he said after France’s defeat to England.
“But I would have preferred not to be the top scorer and to have played in the final. It’s good for my legacy once I’ve retired, but right now, that’s not what’s on my mind.”
Spain’s triumph over Argentina in the final completed a clean sweep of the remaining major awards. Captain Rodri was presented with the Golden Ball after leading La Roja to their second World Cup title, adding the honour to his Ballon d’Or and UEFA Euro 2024 Player of the Tournament awards. Lionel Messi received the Silver Ball, while Mbappe was awarded the Bronze Ball.
Goalkeeper Unai Simon claimed the Golden Glove after conceding just one goal across eight matches and keeping seven clean sheets during Spain’s victorious campaign. Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, who played every minute of the tournament, was named Best Young Player after emerging as one of the competition’s standout performers.
Behind Mbappe and Messi in the Golden Boot standings, England’s Jude Bellingham and Norway striker Erling Haaland finished with seven goals each, while Ousmane Dembele and Harry Kane shared the next highest tally with six.
Read more – Justice Delayed, Not Denied: Spain Outplay Argentina to Lift a Second World Cup
Also see – Mbappé Overtakes Messi as World Cup’s All-Time Leading Scorer Ahead of Historic Final
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