Mbappé moves past Messi on World Cup scoring list despite France loss
Standfirst: The France captain’s hat-trick in a 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff takes his World Cup tally to 15 goals, leaving him one short of Miroslav Klose’s all-time record.
New York, July 19: Kylian Mbappé overtook Lionel Messi on the FIFA World Cup’s all-time scoring charts after scoring a hat-trick in France’s 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff on Saturday.
Mbappé’s three-goal haul took his World Cup tally to 15, moving him ahead of Messi (14) and to within one goal of Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16.
France mounted a spirited second-half comeback, but England held on to secure third place in a high-scoring contest.
At 27, Mbappé has further strengthened his reputation as one of the tournament’s greatest goalscorers and is now on the verge of rewriting one of the World Cup’s most enduring records.
Match Statistics
Result: England 6-4 France
Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Third-place playoff
Venue: New York
France scorer: Kylian Mbappé (Hat-trick)
World Cup goals: Miroslav Klose – 16; Kylian Mbappé – 15; Lionel Messi – 14.
