World Cup 2026: Kylian Mbappé seeks Golden Boot relief in closing stages

France's Kylian Mbappé faces an unappealing third-place playoff match against England in the 2026 World Cup, a stark contrast to his ambition of repeating the 2018 victory. Having been eliminated in the semifinals by Spain, the superstar forward now shifts his focus to individual accolades, particularly the Golden Boot award.

Mbappé is currently locked in a tight race with Lionel Messi for the tournament's top scorer title. Both players have netted eight goals, mirroring their competition in the 2022 World Cup where Mbappé ultimately won the Golden Boot with one more goal than Messi. Messi, however, will be vying for the ultimate prize in the final against Spain.

France's coach, Didier Deschamps, defended Mbappé's pursuit of individual goals, stating it is "legitimate." However, Deschamps remained non-committal about whether Mbappé would start the third-place match, only confirming his availability. This comes after a semifinal performance where France was outplayed by Spain's superior midfield and defense.

Despite the team's exit, Mbappé's individual effort was evident. He expressed his disappointment with France's performance in the semifinal, stating, "I think we didn't play the game we wanted to play, neither tactically, nor even technically, nor at the overall level we offered. And when you don't do what you're supposed to do in a World Cup semifinal, you don't win."