Kylian Mbappe has become the World Cup's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Lionel Messi after netting twice in a recent match against England. The French forward now has 22 goals in World Cup history, moving one goal ahead of Messi, who remains on 21.
This development sets the stage for a dramatic final between Argentina and Spain, where Messi has one last opportunity to equal Mbappe's tally. Should Messi score against Spain and reach 22 goals, he would reclaim the Golden Boot based on his superior assist count for the tournament, as assists serve as the tie-breaker.
Messi, who had previously broken Miroslav Klose's record of 16 goals during the group stages, has accumulated his 21 goals over 33 appearances across six World Cups. In contrast, Mbappe has achieved his 22 goals in just 22 games played over three World Cups.
Mbappe's overall scoring prowess is further highlighted by his impressive goals-to-game ratio. Messi, at 39 years old, faces a formidable challenge in the final against Spain, a team renowned for its strong defense, having conceded only one goal throughout the tournament so far.
While Mbappe is positioned to further extend his scoring record in the future, Messi has the chance to hold the title for potentially four more years depending on his performance in the final match.