Kylian Mbappe just carved his name into World Cup history. The France captain claimed his second Mbappe World Cup Golden Boot after Spain crushed Argentina 1-0 in Sunday’s final. Therefore, he became the first player ever to win the prestigious award twice.

Mbappe delivered 10 goals and three assists across six matches. Eight of those goals came in back-to-back double performances. He scored twice against Iraq, Senegal, Sweden, and England consecutively. Moreover, this dominance separated him from all challengers decisively.

Lionel Messi posed the only real threat for the award. The Argentina captain trailed Mbappe heading into the third-place match. However, Messi failed to score in that game against England. Meanwhile, Mbappe struck twice to secure the Golden Boot comprehensively.

The Real Madrid forward also broke Messi’s all-time World Cup scoring record. Mbappe now has 22 career World Cup goals. Messi finished with 21. Therefore, at just 27 years old, Mbappe already stands as the tournament’s greatest goal scorer in history.

Messi had held the record briefly. He surpassed Miroslav Klose during this tournament. Still, Mbappe overtook him before the final whistle. The torch has passed to a younger generation of strikers.

Mbappe’s 10-goal performance marked historic achievement independently. He became the first player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to score 10+ goals in one World Cup. That accomplishment alone guarantees immortality. Combined with the Golden Boot award, his legacy became cemented.

Argentina struggled against Spain’s suffocating defense in the final. The defending champions managed only two shots on goal. Messi failed to score for the third straight match. Therefore, Argentina’s quest for back-to-back titles ended definitively.

At 39, Messi may have played his final World Cup match. Mbappe, conversely, enters his prime scoring years. Finally, the Mbappe World Cup Golden Boot triumph signals a new era in international football.