2026 World Cup: Kylian Mbappé Leaves Lionel Messi Empty-Handed

Kylian Mbappé leaves the United States deeply disappointed at not having brought the World Cup title to France, but on a personal level, he has achieved some truly significant milestones that make him an even bigger star than he already is.

France’s star player is the top scorer of the 2026 World Cup with an impressive 10 goals, two more than Lionel Messi. His two-goal performance against England in the third-place match proved decisive. The World Cup Golden Boot, therefore, goes to the Real Madrid striker.

But that’s not all. Kylian Mbappé is the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 22 total goals, one more than Lionel Messi, who, in the final lost to Spain, failed to score. Given La Pulga’s age (39), the feeling is that the record will remain in the Frenchman’s hands for a long time.

In short, even though he didn’t win the World Cup, Kylian Mbappé takes home two very important titles, especially on a personal level. Of course, he would certainly have traded those two individual awards for a World Cup victory.