Mbappe Breaks All-Time World Cup Goals Record, But England Beat France 6-4 To Win Bronze Medal

July 19, 2026

MIAMI: England defeated France 6-4 in a thrilling FIFA World Cup third-place playoff on Saturday night, clinching the bronze medal despite Kylian Mbappe’s record-breaking performance. The high-intensity contest featured relentless attacking football and several heated clashes between players. The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain for the gold and silver medals will be played today (12:30 a.m. IST).

Mbappe Overtakes Messi’s All-Time World Cup Goals Record

France superstar Kylian Mbappe surpassed Lionel Messi’s all-time FIFA World Cup record of 21 goals. Mbappe now tops the all-time World Cup scoring charts with 22 goals, the highest by any player in tournament history.

Mbappe Leads Golden Boot Race

Mbappe has now scored 10 goals in the ongoing World Cup, breaking Lionel Messi’s tournament record of eight goals. He has taken a strong lead in the race for the Golden Boot, although Messi still has an opportunity to narrow the gap or overtake him in the final against Spain.

England Storm to 4-0 First-Half Lead

England dominated the opening half and raced to a 4-0 advantage before the interval. Bukayo Saka struck twice in the 37th and first-half stoppage time (45+1), while vice-captain Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute and Ezri Konsa added another in the 18th minute.

Saka Completes Hat-Trick

Both teams played even more aggressively in the second half. France scored four goals between the 48th and 96th minutes, but Saka completed his hat-trick in the 87th minute to restore England’s advantage at 5-4. With France pushing desperately for an equaliser, Jude Bellingham sealed the victory with a goal in the 98th minute as England secured a memorable 6-4 win and the bronze medal.

Tournament Favourites France Finish Fourth

Mbappe scored twice for France in the 48th and 66th minutes. Bradley Barcola found the net in the 54th minute, while Ousmane Dembele scored in the 96th minute. France had entered the tournament as one of the favourites to lift the trophy but eventually finished in fourth place.

Highest-Scoring World Cup Match in 44 Years

The 6-4 scoreline produced a total of 10 goals, making it the highest-scoring match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It was also the sixth highest-scoring match in the tournament’s 96-year history and the first World Cup game to feature 10 goals since 1982.

Highest-Scoring Matches in FIFA World Cup History