World Cup: Mbappé Beats Messi To Golden Boot After Final; Spanish Players Win Plenty Awards
Kylian Mbappé has retained the World Cup Golden Boot after Lionel Messi failed to score in Sunday’s final against Spain.
The France and Real Madrid striker scored twice against England in a 6-4 defeat in the third-place playoff Saturday to take his total for the tournament to 10, and he becomes the first player to win the Golden Boot in two World Cups (2022, 2026).
Spain, meanwhile, took home plenty of individual awards after beating Argentina via extra time in Sunday’s final.
Rodri and Pau Cubarsí were crowned Player and Young Player of the Tournament, respectively, and Unai Simón took home the Golden Glove, having conceded one goal in seven games.
Ferran Torres scored the goal that sealed Spain’s second World Cup.
Mbappé saw off competition from Argentina’s Messi (eight goals), Norway’s Erling Haaland (seven), England’s Jude Bellingham (seven) and Harry Kane (six) and France teammate Ousmane Dembélé (six).
Mbappé scored twice in France’s opening match, a 3-1 win against Senegal, then twice in a 3-0 win against Iraq.
He didn’t score in a 4-1 win over Norway but put two past Sweden in a 3-0 round-of-32 clash.
His penalty was the only goal against Paraguay in the round of 16 and he scored once in a 2-0 win against Morocco in the quarterfinals.
France lost 2-0 to Spain in the semifinals, but Mbappé found the net twice in the third-place playoff against England when, down 4-0 at halftime, his side valiantly rallied after the break.
Mbappé won the Golden Boot four years ago when a hat trick in the final against Argentina pipped Messi.
