Kylian Mbappé has retained the World Cup Golden Boot after Lionel Messi failed to score in Sunday’s final against Spain.
The France and Real Madrid striker scored twice against England in a 6-4 defeat in the third-place playoff Saturday to take his total for the tournament to 10, and he becomes the first player to win the Golden Boot in two World Cups (2022, 2026).
Mbappé saw off competition from Argentina’s Messi (eight goals), Norway’s Erling Haaland (seven), England’s Jude Bellingham (seven) and Harry Kane(six) and France teammate Ousmane Dembélé (six).
Mbappé scored twice in France’s opening match, a 3-1 win against Senegal, then twice in a 3-0 win against Iraq.
He didn’t score in a 4-1 win over Norway but put two past Sweden in a 3-0 round-of-32 clash.
His penalty was the only goal against Paraguay in the round of 16 and he scored once in a 2-0 win against Morocco in the quarterfinals. France lost 2-0 to Spain in the semifinals, but Mbappé found the net twice in the third-place playoff against England when, down 4-0 at halftime, his side valiantly rallied after the break.
Mbappé won the Golden Boot four years ago when a hat trick in the final against Argentina pipped Messi.
Spain, meanwhile, took home plenty of individual awards after beating Argentina via extra time in Sunday’s final.
Rodri and Pau Cubarsí were crowned Player and Young Player of the Tournament, respectively, and Unai Simón took home the Golden Glove, having conceded one goal in seven games.
Ferran Torres scored the goal that sealed Spain’s second World Cup.
Meanwhile, Spain claimed a hat trick of individual awards after beating Argentina 1-0 to claim their second men’s World Cup title Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Rodri won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, Unai Simón won the Golden Glove for the top performance by a goalkeeper, and Pau Cubarsí won the Best Young Player award, beating out fellow 19-year-old teammate Lamine Yamal.
Argentina star Lionel Messi was hoping to win a record-extending third Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. He’s already the only player to win the award multiple times since it was first given in 1978, and sparking Argentina’s run to a second straight final at age 39 gave him a strong case for another.
But the award went to Rodri for captaining Spain’s run to their second World Cup title. Messi had to settle for the Silver Ball, with France’s Kylian Mbappé taking the Bronze Ball.
