Mbappé overtakes Messi to become sole World Cup record goalscorer

In the current finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Mbappé is also the tournament's top scorer with ten goals – ahead of Erling Haaland, who was eliminated with seven goals, as well as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who each had six goals before the third-place match. Messi has eight goals in the current World Cup.

Mbappé Compared with the Greats

The 27-year-old Frenchman had entered the tournament as a co-favorite for the top scorer crown even before the final match. With now 22 World Cup goals, he has built a five-goal lead over Klose and has also pulled clearly clear of chasers such as Cristiano Ronaldo (11 goals), Gerd Müller (14) or Just Fontaine (13).

The scoring list before the match had been led by Ronaldo (Brazil) with 15 goals, followed by Müller, Fontaine, Pelé (12) as well as Sándor Kocsis, Jürgen Klinsmann and Cristiano Ronaldo with eleven goals each. In the all-time list, Mbappé now stands ahead of all the aforementioned players, with only Messi (21) still within sight.

Austria's Tally and a Look at the Final

Other players from the current World Cup also appear in the statistics: Ousmane Dembélé scored six goals, Mikel Oyarzabal five, Vinicius Junior, Julián Quiñones and Ismaila Sarr four each. From the Austrian team, Marko Arnautovic contributed two goals and Sasa Kalajdzic, Marcel Sabitzer and Romano Schmid one each. Erich Probst, once active for Austria, stands with six World Cup goals in the all-time list.

The third-place match offered offensive entertainment, even if it was not enough for France to win. England used its chances more efficiently and ultimately prevailed 6:4. For Mbappé, who could not be reached on social networks the day after the match, Sunday at least brings a look at the final, in which Argentina and Spain will face each other.

The final will be played in New York, with kickoff scheduled for 21:00 local time; ORF1 will broadcast from 18:10. Spain enters the match as reigning European champion, Argentina as defending champion and with Messi, who could close the gap to Mbappé with another goal.

For Mbappé himself, it remains the case that he set the record at the age of 27 – and still has room for more goals. Should France qualify for the next World Cup, the mark of 22 goals is likely to be only the start of an even higher record. His contract, his form and his role in the team continue to be regarded as undisputed in France.