Les Bleus didn't get the win against England in the World Cup 2026 third-place playoff on Saturday but Kylian Mbappé got a precious record.
The French star became the all-time leading goal scorer in World Cup history with 22 after his second goal of his club's third-place match against England in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Despite Mbappe's efforts, France lost 6-4 as their attempted comeback from a 4-0 halftime deficit fell short.
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Mbappé scored goals in the 48th and 66th minutes to move one ahead of Argentina great Lionel Messi.
"I'm just trying to help my team score every time," Mbappe said after the match. "It's for sure that when you score that many goals in the World Cup, it elevates you to certain levels but I would have liked to not be the top scorer in history and play tomorrow's (championship) match.
Another record
"So, I think it's good for legacy and when we stop (playing) to say that I was one of those players. But today, it's not the first thing crossing my mind." Mbappé's tally of 10 goals during the World Cup 2026 also earned him the Golden Boot, making him the first player to win it twice.
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Mbappe is the first player with 10 goals in a World Cup since West Germany's Gerd Muller in 1970.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)