07/18/26 08:01:00
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07/18 20:00 CDT Kylian Mbapp passes Lionel Messi for career World Cup scoring
record with 22 goals
Kylian Mbapp passes Lionel Messi for career World Cup scoring record with 22
goals
By ALANIS THAMES
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) --- Kylian Mbapp made history at the World Cup on
Saturday. He would have preferred a different outcome.
The France star moved past Argentina's Lionel Messi for the career World Cup
scoring record with 22 goals, scoring twice in a 6-4 loss to England in
Saturday's third-place match.
Mbapp finished this World Cup with 10 goals, two more than Messi in the race
for the Golden Boot, which is awarded to the tournament's top scorer. Should he
remain ahead of Messi after Argentina plays Spain in Sunday's final, he would
become the first player to win the Golden Boot twice.
"I would have preferred not to be the top scorer in history," Mbapp told Fox
Sports in French, "and play in the match tomorrow."
Les Bleus missed out on a chance at playing in their third straight World Cup
final when they lost to Spain in the semifinals.
Mbapp 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.
His 10 in this year's tournament matched the third most in a World Cup. Just
Fontaine had a record 13 goals for France in 1958, Sandor Kocsis of Hungary
scored 11 in 1954, and West Germany's Gerd Mller had 10 in 1970.
Mbapp's quest for the Golden Boot appeared to be going nowhere when France
trailed 4-0 at halftime.
Then Mbapp and France came alive in the second half. He flicked a shot past
England goalkeeper Dean Henderson in the 48th minute to begin a rally for Les
Bleus, who also got goals from Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembl. Michael
Olise added two assists, setting a record with seven in this World Cup, one
more than Brazil's Pel, who had six assists in 1970.
France pulled within 4-3 on Mbapp's second goal, when 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.
"There were two very different halves," Mbapp said. "During the first one, I
can understand why some people think we made fools of ourselves and didn't do
the jersey justice. I'd say instead that we were human --- and we can't afford
to be. We were completely stunned, and they really shook us awake."
He said French players wanted to win for Didier Deschamps, who coached his
final game with the national team.
"In the end, we didn't win, and that's a shame for the coach," Mbapp said.
"The first half gives the impression that we let him down --- that's not at all
how we wanted him to feel. This match isn't going to tarnish Didier Deschamps'
legacy."
France won the World Cup under Deschamps in 2018, lost a gut-wrenching final to
Argentina on penalties in 2022, and was shut down offensively by Spain in the
semifinals. It was a disappointing end to Deschamps' 14-year tenure after his
star-studded squad was among the favorites to win another World Cup.
Zinedine Zidane is widely expected to be confirmed as Deschamps' successor in
the coming days by the French soccer federation.
"It is the end of a journey which represented the most beautiful period,"
Deschamps said. "When I started in 2012 ... I put the put the French team
first."
Deschamps embraced players on the pitch before exiting, and he defended Mbapp
in his news conference.
"I know he has been given an image that is not true to reality," the coach said
through an interpreter. "He is an incredible captain, and like many of these
players, he has evolved. He is disappointed that he did not manage to compete
in the final."
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