PARIS — France forward Kylian Mbappe won the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot after finishing the tournament as the leading scorer with 10 goals, securing the individual award despite France falling short of the title.
Mbappe’s final tally placed him ahead of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who ended the competition with eight goals, while England’s Jude Bellingham and Norway’s Erling Haaland were among the other leading scorers.
The 27-year-old Real Madrid forward added two goals in France’s third-place match against England, increasing his total from eight goals and moving clear in the Golden Boot race. His performance also extended his World Cup scoring record, with his career tournament total reaching 22 goals, according to figures published by Real Madrid.
Mbappe had entered the closing stages of the tournament level with Messi in the scoring standings. FIFA’s Golden Boot race update before the final round of matches showed both players on eight goals, with the award to be decided after the remaining fixtures.
The award marked Mbappe’s second World Cup Golden Boot, after he previously won the prize at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Real Madrid said he became the first player to win the award twice in men’s World Cup history.
France did not advance to the final after losing to Spain in the knockout stages, but Mbappe’s scoring output kept him at the top of the tournament’s individual scoring rankings. Spain went on to defeat Argentina in the final, while Messi finished as the tournament’s second-highest scorer.
The Golden Boot is awarded by FIFA to the player who scores the most goals at the World Cup. In cases where players finish level on goals, FIFA uses assists and other criteria to determine the ranking.
Mbappe’s latest award adds to a series of World Cup milestones for the France captain, who scored four goals in the 2022 final against Argentina, including a hat-trick in regulation and extra time before France lost in a penalty shootout.
FIFA has completed the statistical review of the 2026 tournament, with Mbappe officially confirmed as the competition’s top scorer.
