Frenchman Kylian Mbappe succeeded in maintaining the top scorer position in the 2026 World Cup, after Argentine Lionel Messi failed to find the net against Spain in the final match, allowing the French star to finish the tournament at the top of the scoring charts.

The 2026 World Cup concluded with Spain being crowned champions after a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final, with Ferran Torres scoring the only goal, denying Messi the chance to add to his tally.

Messi needed to score in the final to close the gap on Mbappe, but Spain's defense managed to isolate him throughout the match, ending the Argentine captain's hopes of competing for the top scorer title.

Mbappe finished the tournament at the top with 10 goals, having put in an exceptional performance for the French team, despite Les Bleus' elimination in the semi-finals by Spain.

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Lionel Messi finished second with 8 goals, while England's Jude Bellingham came third after scoring 7 goals during his country's campaign in the tournament.

Despite losing the top scorer title, Messi left the tournament after leading Argentina to the final and posting impressive individual numbers, while Mbappe once again confirmed his status as one of the world's most dangerous strikers, retaining his scoring throne until the curtain fell on the 2026 World Cup.

It is worth noting that this is the second consecutive edition in which Mbappe has won the top scorer title, as the previous tournament in Qatar saw him score 8 goals to top the charts.

Mbappe is the all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals, and the first player to win the Golden Boot in two editions, after winning the award in the previous edition with 8 goals.