Kylian Mbappe moved past Lionel Messi for the career World Cup scoring record on Saturday (July 18, 2026), scoring twice for France in the third-place match against England to reach 22 goals.

Mbappe has 10 goals in this World Cup, two more than Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, which is awarded to the tournament’s top scorer.

France trailed England 4-0 when Mbappe flicked a shot past goalkeeper Dean Henderson in the 48th minute. Then he beat Henderson again with a left-footed strike from about 14 yards in the 66th minute to pass Messi’s career mark of 21 goals.

France pulled within 4-3 on Mbappe’s second goal. Les Bleus missed out on a chance at playing in their third straight World Cup final when they lost to Spain in the semifinals.

Mbappe scored eight goals to win the Golden Boot four years ago in Qatar, where France lost to Messi and Argentina in a penalty shootout in the final.

Mbappe started Saturday’s (July 18, 2026) match for third place — which, outside of potentially allowing him to win his second Golden Boot award, can provide little more than moral victories. England stars Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were not in their squad’s starting lineup and did not enter at the start of the second half.

The takeover had begun long before kick-off. The previous evening, thousands had gathered at the Klyde Warren Park for the traditional Argentine Banderazo, a fan rally named after the Spanish word for flag, bandera. They draped downtown Dallas in blue and white and filled the Texas air with songs carried across generations. For one weekend, it looked like Buenos Aires had travelled north, settling briefly among the glass towers and endless freeways of Dallas.

Argentina vs Austria, FIFA World Cup highlights

Twenty-four hours later, Argentina repaid the devotion with a 2-0 victory over Austria, a result that secured its place in the knockouts of the 2026 FIFA World ​Cup.

The songs had grown louder as the crowd poured into the AT&T Stadium, and five minutes into the game, the sense of inevitability appeared to be justified.

Argentina won a penalty after a lengthy VAR review determined that Lautaro Martinez was brought down inside the box. But to the disbelief of the Messi faithful congregated here, the Argentina captain dragged his effort wide, his first penalty miss for the country since the one against Poland at the 2022 World Cup.

The rare ignominy appeared to cast a brief shadow over the South Americans, and Austria, sensing an opportunity, tried to turn possession into pressure. Perhaps, for the first time in this edition, the world champion looked ill at ease, its rhythm disrupted and composure tested by an opponent unwilling to be overawed.

Messi, peripheral for much of this contest, almost conjured a moment of magic in the 19th minute. Twisting his way into the penalty area, he discovered just enough space for a shot, but Alexander Schlager was alert to the danger and smothered the effort.

The goal that finally soothed the Argentine nerves arrived in the 38th minute. Thiago Almada cleverly stepped over a diagonal pass from Facundo Medina, allowing it to run into Messi’s path. Arriving centrally, the captain opened his body and guided a precise finish beyond the goalkeeper. And, just like that, he was the holder of most number of goals in the showpiece, going past German Miroslav Klose.

A free-kick whipped in from the left by Marcel Sabitzer after the break provided Austria with its closest opportunity to claw back. But Emiliano Martinez, hardly troubled throughout the evening, reacted sharply to block its path.

Argentina had chances to extend its lead, but the finishing remained uncharacteristically wasteful from Lionel Scaloni’s side. Yet as the game drifted into stoppage time, La Albiceleste found the reward its persistence deserved. As Austria failed to clear its lines inside a crowded penalty box, it was Messi, as so often, who reacted quickest, hammering home from close range.