France forward Kylian Mbappé has secured his place in football history by becoming the first player to win the World Cup Golden Boot in back-to-back tournaments, finishing as the top scorer at the 2026 World Cup.

The 27-year-old Real Madrid striker netted 10 goals in eight matches throughout the tournament, edging out Argentina's Lionel Messi to take the award. Having previously claimed the trophy with eight goals at Qatar 2022, Mbappé's performance in North America elevates his career World Cup tally to 22 goals, making him the competition's all-time leading goalscorer, one ahead of Messi.

Mbappé's 10-goal haul marks the highest single-tournament total since Gerd Müller scored 10 for West Germany in 1970. Only Just Fontaine (13 goals in 1958) and Sándor Kocsis (11 goals in 1954) have scored more in a single edition.

Despite his individual milestone, France finished fourth overall. Mbappé scored twice in the third-place playoff in Miami, but Les Bleus fell to a 6-4 defeat against England. His tournament run also featured group-stage braces against Senegal and Iraq, a goal against Sweden in the round of 32, a winning penalty against Paraguay in the round of 16, and a strike against Morocco in the quarter-finals. Speaking after the tournament, the French captain noted that while individual records contribute to his long-term legacy, team success remained his primary objective.

Tournament champions Spain dominated the remaining award categories following their 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium. Spanish captain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, adding to his 2023 Ballon d'Or and Euro 2024 Player of the Tournament accolades. Messi received the Silver Ball, while Mbappé took home the Bronze Ball.

In the Golden Boot standings, Messi finished second with eight goals, unable to find the net in the final. England's Jude Bellingham and Norway's Erling Haaland followed with seven goals each, while Ousmane Dembélé of France and England captain Harry Kane registered six apiece.

Spain's defensive record played a central role in their victory, yielding two further individual awards:

• Golden Glove: Goalkeeper Unai Simón won the award for top goalkeeper after conceding just one goal across eight matches and recording seven clean sheets. The Athletic Club stopper maintained his starting position ahead of David Raya throughout Spain's campaign.

• Best Young Player: Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsí received the honour following an extraordinary defensive display. The 19-year-old played every minute of the tournament for the champions, helping limit Argentina to zero shots on target during the final.