Kylian Mbappe has taken a commanding lead in the race for the World Cup 2026 Golden Boot after scoring twice in France's dramatic 6-4 defeat by England in the third-place play-off, moving two goals clear of Lionel Messi with 10 for the tournament. The battle matters because it now looks set to run to the final match of the tournament, with Messi needing a big performance against Spain to deny Mbappe a second Golden Boot.

Mbappe's tally of 10 goals is the most by any player at a single World Cup this century, a mark last reached by Gerd Muller in 1970, and only eight players in history had previously scored eight or more at one tournament. Should Messi, 39, score twice in the final he would claim the Golden Boot on assists, but anything less hands it to 27-year-old Mbappe, who is also one goal clear of Messi in the race to become the World Cup's all-time top scorer, on 22 to 21. England's Jude Bellingham has moved into third in the Golden Boot standings with seven goals, the most by an Englishman at a single World Cup, edging ahead of Erling Haaland on assists, while Harry Kane and France's Ousmane Dembele sit one goal further back.