Kylian Mbappé leapfrogged Lionel Messi on the all-time World Cup goal-scoring chart by getting his 21st and 22nd career goals in the competition during France's thrilling 6-4 third-place playoff defeat to England on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
France endured a nightmare first half as they trailed 4-0 after the opening 45 minutes. But Mbappé's first-time finish in the 48th minute prompted a thrilling comeback from Les Bleus, with Bradley Barcola cutting England's lead to two before the France captain found the back of the net again in the 66th minute.
Didier Deschamps' team scored a fourth, but a hat trick from Bukayo Saka helped England keep France at arm's length, with Jude Bellingham adding the sixth goal in an instant World Cup classic.
Now 39 and playing in his sixth World Cup, Messi has a chance to take the record back from Mbappé when he leads his country in Sunday's final against Spain.
"Leo scores all the time. Tomorrow he will score for sure," Mbappé told Fox Sports after the game. "I just try to help my team every time to score. It's certain that when you score so many goals in the World Cup it elevates you to certain levels but there you go.
"I would have preferred not to be the top scorer in history and play the match tomorrow. So I think it's good for everything related to legacy and when we stop saying that I was one of those players, but today that's not the first thing on my mind.
"I would have preferred not to be the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history and instead be able to play in the World Cup final tomorrow."
Having scored a hat trick in Argentina's tournament opener, Messi moved beyond previous record goal scorer Miroslav Klose by netting twice against Austria. Messi added to his tally against Jordan, Cape Verde and Egypt, but Mbappé has now passed the Argentine.
The Real Madrid forward's brace also gives him the edge over Messi in the tournament's Golden Boot race. Mbappé, 27, has scored 10 goals in North America, while Messi sits at eight.
Mbappé burst on to the World Cup scene in 2018, when he earned the Young Player of the Tournament award, scored four goals and helped France win the trophy.
He scored a hat trick in the final in 2022 but couldn't stop Messi from inspiring Argentina to World Cup glory.
- England hold off France in instant World Cup classic to win third-place playoff
Messi famously struggled to convert his Barcelona form onto the international scene during the early part of his career but has hit his stride in the World Cup.
He fulfilled what many saw as his destiny by lifting the World Cup in Qatar four years ago, eight years after tasting defeat in the final against Germany in 2014.