Kylian Mbappe has won the World Cup 2026 Golden Boot with 10 goals. The France captain's tally was sealed on July 18, when he scored twice in France's 6-4 win over England in the third-place play-off in Miami, and it held up as the tournament's top mark once Lionel Messi -- the only player who could still catch him -- finished the July 19 final without scoring as Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time.
Final Golden Boot Standings
- 1. Kylian Mbappe (France) -- 10 goals
- 2. Lionel Messi (Argentina) -- 8 goals
- 3. Jude Bellingham (England) -- 7 goals
- 3. Erling Haaland (Norway) -- 7 goals
- 5. Ousmane Dembele (France) -- 6 goals
- 5. Harry Kane (England) -- 6 goals
- 7. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) -- 5 goals
How Mbappe Won It
Mbappe scored across every stage of the knockout rounds: the only goal, from the penalty spot, as France beat Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16; the opener in a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Morocco; and finally a 48th- and 66th-minute double in the third-place play-off against England on July 18 -- a match France lost 6-4 in a ten-goal shootout, but one that stretched Mbappe's tally to 10 and put the Golden Boot out of reach for anyone left in the tournament. It's Mbappe's second individual scoring title, after topping the charts with 8 goals at Qatar 2022, and puts him level with Golden Boot legends who have won the award more than once.
What It Means
Messi entered the final needing two goals to force a tiebreak on assists, and instead played his part in a tense, low-shot game that Argentina lost 1-0 in extra time -- his tournament, and by his own account his final World Cup, ends on 8 goals and no second Golden Boot to go with 2022's runners-up finish behind himself. For Mbappe, it's individual consolation in a World Cup where France fell in the semifinals to eventual champions Spain, but it cements his case as the finest out-and-out finisher of this World Cup generation.
Other World Cup 2026 Awards to Be Confirmed
The Golden Boot is decided purely by goals, so Mbappe's award was mathematically settled the moment the final whistle blew with Messi scoreless. The other individual honours -- the adidas Golden Ball (best player) and Golden Glove (best goalkeeper), plus the FIFA Young Player Award -- are chosen by FIFA's Technical Study Group and are confirmed at the post-final ceremony. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon enters that conversation as the heavy favourite for the Golden Glove after conceding just once all tournament -- to Belgium in the quarterfinal -- and Spain teenager Lamine Yamal is the runaway favourite for the Young Player Award. See our full Spain championship recap and Lamine Yamal feature for more.