France captain Kylian Mbappé became the first player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot award twice after finishing as the top scorer of the 2026 tournament. The 27-year-old Real Madrid forward netted 10 goals throughout the competition, finishing ahead of Argentina’s Lionel Messi (8 goals), as well as England’s Jude Bellingham and Norway’s Erling Haaland (7 goals each). Mbappé previously won the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he scored eight goals.
By scoring twice in France’s 6-4 third-place playoff loss to England, Mbappé brought his career total to 22 goals across three World Cup appearances, making him the highest goalscorer in World Cup history—one ahead of Messi. Despite the individual milestone, Mbappé expressed mixed feelings, stating that while the record is great for his future legacy, he would have ultimately preferred reaching the final over collecting individual honors.
The tournament concluded with Spain securing the World Cup title after a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final. Spanish players dominated the individual awards alongside Mbappé: midfielder Rodri claimed the Golden Ball as player of the tournament, goalkeeper Unai Simón won the Golden Glove after allowing only one goal in eight matches, and 19-year-old defender Pau Cubarsí was named the FIFA Young Player of the tournament.
