TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - France captain Kylian Mbappe became the first player in history to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot twice after finishing as the top scorer at the 2026 tournament, despite Les Bleus missing out on the title.
Mbappe scored 10 goals in eight matches to retain the award he first claimed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he also finished as the tournament's leading scorer.
As reported by BBC Sport, the Real Madrid forward edged Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who finished with eight goals after failing to score in Sunday's World Cup final, where Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time to lift the trophy.
Mbappe secured the Golden Boot on Saturday by scoring twice in France's dramatic 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff, moving clear of Messi before the final.
His tally also placed him ahead of Norway's Erling Haaland and England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who each scored seven goals, while England captain Harry Kane and France teammate Ousmane Dembele finished with six goals apiece.
According to ESPN, Mbappe opened his campaign with two goals in France's 3-1 victory over Senegal before adding another brace in a 3-0 win against Iraq during the group stage.
Although he failed to score in a 4-1 victory over Norway, he returned to the scoresheet with another two-goal performance against Sweden in the Round of 32.
The 27-year-old then converted the winning penalty against Paraguay in the Round of 16 and added another goal in France's 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Morocco.
France's hopes of reaching the final ended with a 2-0 semifinal defeat to eventual champions Spain. Mbappe, however, concluded the tournament with another brace against England in the third-place playoff, even though France ultimately finished fourth.
His latest achievement adds another milestone to an already remarkable World Cup career.
BBC Sport noted that Mbappe is the first player to win consecutive World Cup Golden Boots and the first man to score at least 10 goals in a single World Cup since Germany's Gerd Muller netted 10 goals in 1970.
Only France's Just Fontaine, who scored 13 goals in 1958, and Hungary's Sandor Kocsis, who recorded 11 goals in 1954, have produced higher single-tournament totals.
Mbappe has also become the men's all-time leading World Cup scorer with 22 career goals, moving one goal ahead of Messi.
Despite his individual success, Mbappe admitted he would have preferred to help France reach another World Cup final.
"When you score that many goals in the World Cup, it certainly takes you to a whole new level," Mbappe said after the third-place playoff, as quoted by BBC Sport.
"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."
While Mbappe claimed the Golden Boot, newly crowned world champions Spain dominated the tournament's remaining individual awards.
Captain Rodri received the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player after leading Spain to its second World Cup title, while goalkeeper Unai Simon won the Golden Glove following a tournament in which he conceded just one goal.
Spain defender Pau Cubarsi was named Best Young Player of the Tournament, completing a clean sweep of the major individual awards for Luis de la Fuente's side.
Spain sealed the World Cup title with Ferran Torres' extra-time winner against Argentina in the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium, while Mbappe's Golden Boot stood as the tournament's most significant individual scoring achievement.
Read: Rodri Named World Cup Best Player as Mbappe Finishes Top Scorer
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