Kylian Mbappe now leads the way in the Golden Boot race with 10 goals - two clear of Lionel Messi who plays in Sunday's World Cup final.
Mbappe's two goals in France's 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place play-off game puts him in a commanding position to land the honour and he is now the outright record goalscorer in World Cup history with 22 goals.
Messi - on eight goals - will need to score twice against Spain on Sunday to potentially surpass Mbappe with both players currently also on four assists which is used as the tiebreaker in the event of a draw.
Knocked-out Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham scored seven, while Harry Kane scored six.
The superstars set a blistering pace in the race to be the tournament's top goalscorer in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Messi bounced back after missing his penalty against Egypt to help Argentina complete their historic comeback, scoring three goals in the final 13 minutes to progress into the quarter-finals, but failed to add to his tally in the win over Switzerland.
Mbappe had an eerily similar showing against Morocco in the first of the last-eight encounters, missing from the spot as he went the same direction as Messi before giving France the lead after the hour mark.
Then it was the turn of Bellingham to stand up and deliver after scoring twice against Mexico in the previous round.
How the race for the Golden Boot stands...
Could more records tumble?
Miroslav Klose started the tournament out in front on the all-time World Cup goalscoring chart with 16 goals, but both Messi and Mbappe have overtaken the ex-Germany striker.
Haaland became Norway's leading goalscorer at World Cups after just two games, while Kane went past Gary Lineker as England's top World Cup scorer.
Golden Boot contenders have been targeting Just Fontaine's 1958 record of 13 goals in a single tournament.
Only three players in World Cup history - Fontaine, Germany's Gerd Muller in 1970 and Hungary's Sandor Kocsis in 1954 - have ever hit double figures at a single tournament.
What other records have been broken?
Most World Cup tournaments played: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (six each)
First player to score in six World Cups: Cristiano Ronaldo
Oldest player to score multiple goals in a game: Cristiano Ronaldo
Smallest nation to appear at a World Cup: Curacao
Most red cards in an opening match: Mexico vs South Africa (three)
Most-attended World Cup
Highest-scoring World Cup
jualptuyz
0
lies , why was Messi crying tonight?
lembmnprtz
1
high goal scores word cup 2026
Bayla30
0
Are u stupid or foolish accept the fact that the young guy had beating him to that golden boot twice even scoring a hat trick in the final last 4 years it pains u β¦ he even won the the world cup b4 messi did πππretired World Cup helped n organized by his daddy fifa π€£π€£π€£
ahh ahh!!! what a stupid response. mbeppe is 28 with no ballon dor he was suppose to be the man. dembele even vest him u think Messi wants that golden boot
lemadikpz
2
Ψ³ΩΨ§Ω
Richardoghale
0
Foolish talk. Messi can as well beg Barcelona players in the Spanish team to allow him score.
That's why we can't talk about cr7 here ππ€£ππ€£ππ€£
Richardoghale
0
Are u stupid or foolish accept the fact that the young guy had beating him to that golden boot twice even scoring a hat trick in the final last 4 years it pains u β¦ he even won the the world cup b4 messi did πππretired World Cup helped n organized by his daddy fifa π€£π€£π€£
What about your own goat? Can't be mentioned here
lepmoprstz
1
Just Wait for Messis, hattrick with Spain
R u crazy or stupid to be waiting for what would never happen πππ
lepmoprstz
1
Messi doesn't need the golden boot he got everything already his 39 playing with young guy
Are u stupid or foolish accept the fact that the young guy had beating him to that golden boot twice even scoring a hat trick in the final last 4 years it pains u β¦ he even won the the world cup b4 messi did πππretired World Cup helped n organized by his daddy fifa π€£π€£π€£
Executioner1
2
the greatest
Desciklnot
2
After France vs England match 3rd place should be scrapped either you play final or go home it's a shame a match like this happen
Widbiltz
0
We will see than
bahe
0
π―
We will see than
Caebiklmp
0
mbappe
Widbiltz
0
Are you sure
π―
Widbiltz
0
Just Wait for Messis, hattrick with Spain
This is πͺπΈ Spain
Widbiltz
2
Neither Messi nor Mbappe I like but I still prefer Mbappe to win this world cup golden boot because Messi I hate more.
Haaki01
4
Messi is dangerous expect everything, he is magic!!!
Fidaipuyz
2
you can't lead race in revised forms it's cheating, so I pray that messi should double up to win the prize.
Bayla30
0
Messi doesn't need the golden boot he got everything already his 39 playing with young guy
Messi4everGOAT
0
Foolish talk. Messi can as well beg Barcelona players in the Spanish team to allow him score.
Same foolish talk like rigged World Cup.
Fitsumzerabruk
2
Just Wait for Messis, hattrick with Spain
Nabbimstuy
0
messhit fi guh shm
bahe
1
Just give to Mbappe that golden boots, Messi can't score two goals or more against Spain
Are you sure
AshikRahaman1k
0
Rigged For Mbappe and Bellingham shame shame
Fiwbekmpr
1
Rigged for Mbappe He told Bellingham to beg his team mate to allow him score two in the second half to pass Messi. Since England will win already ππππ
Foolish talk. Messi can as well beg Barcelona players in the Spanish team to allow him score.
Fiwbekmpr
1
Worst match of world cup 2026. This is not world cup match it is formality just to score goal
Thrash talk! It's a league match.
Duhcdnrsz
2
cheapest match
Vahbcmrsu
0
Just give to Mbappe that golden boots, Messi can't score two goals or more against Spain
Cihbdmnort
4
Worst match of world cup 2026. This is not world cup match it is formality just to score goal
Bigkid97
2
Rigged for Mbappe He told Bellingham to beg his team mate to allow him score two in the second half to pass Messi. Since England will win already ππππ
Fiacreniyo
4
The golden boot goes to Mbappe. π₯ π₯ π₯
Cobcikotuz
2
even if they lost Mbappe won my heart atlist no golden boot for the goatπ€£π€£ score 2 goals against Spain we see