The FIFA World Cup 2026 continued to rewrite football history as England defeated France 6-4 in one of the highest-scoring matches ever played at the tournament. The thrilling third-place playoff produced a flurry of goals and several record-breaking performances from stars including Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Michael Olise, and Declan Rice.
While England celebrated their best World Cup finish in six decades, France’s Kylian Mbappé etched his name into football history by surpassing Lionel Messi’s World Cup scoring record.
Mbappé Becomes FIFA World Cup’s All-Time Leading Goalscorer
Kylian Mbappé scored twice against England to take his career FIFA World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving ahead of Lionel Messi (21) for the most goals in World Cup history. The French superstar also strengthened his position in the Golden Boot race with 10 goals, becoming the first player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to reach double figures in a single World Cup edition. Mbappé has also accumulated 14 goal contributions (10 goals and 4 assists) in the tournament—the highest by any player in a World Cup over the last 60 years.
Golden Boot Race: Mbappé Leads Messi
Heading into the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain:
- Kylian Mbappé: 10 goals
- Lionel Messi: 8 goals
Messi would need a remarkable performance in the final—including at least a hat-trick or two goals plus an assist—to overtake Mbappé in the Golden Boot standings.
England Secure Historic Third Place
England defeated France 6-4 to finish third at a FIFA World Cup for the first time ever. The victory also marked England’s best World Cup result since lifting the trophy in 1966 after losing previous third-place matches in 1990 and 2018.
Jude Bellingham Sets New England World Cup Record
Jude Bellingham continued his sensational tournament by scoring his seventh goal of the 2026 World Cup. His achievement makes him:
- The highest-scoring English player in a single FIFA World Cup
- The first England player to score seven open-play goals in one World Cup
- Ahead of Gary Lineker’s six-goal record set during the 1986 tournament.
Bukayo Saka Joins Elite England List
Bukayo Saka delivered a spectacular hat-trick, becoming just the fourth England player to score three goals in a World Cup match.
He joins an exclusive list featuring:
- Geoff Hurst (1966 Final)
- Gary Lineker (1986)
- Harry Kane (2018)
- Bukayo Saka (2026)
Michael Olise Breaks Pelé’s Long-Standing Record
French winger Michael Olise created history despite France’s defeat. He registered his seventh assist of the tournament, surpassing Pelé’s six assists from the 1970 World Cup—the highest assist tally in a single World Cup over the past six decades.
Olise also assisted five of Mbappé’s goals, the most productive player combination recorded in a World Cup in the last 60 years.
England vs France Sets Goal-Scoring Landmark
The thrilling encounter produced 10 goals, making it:
- The highest-scoring FIFA World Cup match since Hungary’s 10-1 win over El Salvador in 1982
- The highest-scoring third-place playoff in World Cup history
- One of only five World Cup matches ever to feature 10 or more goals.
The tournament itself has now produced 307 goals in 103 matches, averaging 2.98 goals per game—the highest scoring rate since the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
Didier Deschamps Bows Out After Historic Career
The match marked Didier Deschamps’ final game as France manager after 14 years in charge. His 26 World Cup matches as head coach set a new FIFA World Cup managerial record, surpassing Germany’s Helmut Schön. France also suffered back-to-back World Cup defeats for the first time since the group stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Declan Rice Achieves Rare Feat
England midfielder Declan Rice became the first English player to record both a goal and an assist within the opening 20 minutes of a FIFA World Cup match.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Stats at a Glance
- Kylian Mbappé: 22 career World Cup goals (new all-time record)
- Golden Boot Leader: Mbappé (10 goals)
- Most Goal Contributions: Mbappé (14)
- Most Assists: Michael Olise (7 – new record)
- England’s Top Scorer: Jude Bellingham (7 goals – national record)
- Bukayo Saka: Hat-trick hero in England’s 6-4 victory
- Highest-Scoring Third-Place Match: England 6-4 France
- World Cup Goal Average: 2.98 goals per game (highest since 1958)
A Tournament of Historic Records
The FIFA World Cup 2026 has emerged as one of the most statistically remarkable editions in football history. From Kylian Mbappé becoming the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer to Michael Olise breaking Pelé’s assist record and Jude Bellingham rewriting England’s record books, the bronze-medal match delivered unforgettable moments. With the World Cup final still to come, more history could yet be written