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Mbappé wins Golden Boot
Kylian Mbappé secured his second FIFA World Cup Golden Boot after France’s 6-4 loss to England in the third-place match on July 18, when he scored twice to finish the tournament with 10 goals.
“The 2026 World Cup not only delivered high-caliber excitement on the team level, but kept the world on edge over one of the most thrilling individual battles of the modern era”
The Straits Times said Mbappé became the first player to win multiple FIFA World Cup Golden Boot awards after Spain shut out Argentina 1-0 in the final on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Sky Sports reported that Mbappé pulled two goals clear of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race after his double against England, and that Messi was unable to respond as Argentina lost to Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday 19 July 2026 23:38.
TSN added that Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the final with a Ferran Torres goal in the second half of extra time, confirming Mbappé as the Golden Boot winner for the tournament.
Messi, Spain final
The Straits Times described Lionel Messi as the only competition still active for Mbappé, with Messi searching for his first Golden Boot while trying to guide Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup.
In the final, Sky Sports said Spain won 1-0 against Argentina, and that Mbappé’s two goals in the third-place play-off against England left Messi drawing a blank as France lost 6-4.
TSN said the clinching goal in the summit clash came from Ferran Torres in the second half of extra time, while it also noted that Messi was unable to add to his eight goals in the tournament.
The Straits Times also reported that Messi went scoreless for the third match in a row, and that he stayed at 21 as Mbappé’s two second-half goals on July 18 pushed him past Messi for the all-time tournament record with 22 in just 22 matches.
Records and other awards
Beyond the Golden Boot, TSN and TSN’s recap of the tournament’s end state tied Mbappé’s 10 goals to him being the first player to win the award twice, after he also claimed it at Qatar 2022.
“Kylian Mbappe has become the first player to win the World Cup Golden Boot twice after earning the award for top scorer at the 2026 tournament”
TSN’s account said Mbappé scored ten goals in FIFA World Cup 2026, including two in the third-place playoff match against England, to become the competition’s top scorer.
TSN’s tournament wrap also positioned other Spain accolades alongside the Golden Boot, with TSN noting Rodri won the Golden Ball as the top player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Unai Simon claimed the Golden Glove as the FIFA World Cup’s top goalkeeper.
TSN added that Pau Cubarsi was named the FIFA World Cup’s Young Player of the Tournament, and said the Spain centre-back was still only 19 and played all eight of Spain’s matches.
