Mbappé Chasing Golden Boot as France Prepare for Third-Place Play-Off Against England

Although France missed out on the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, Kylian Mbappé still has a major personal milestone to chase. The French superstar will have one final opportunity to claim the Golden Boot when France face England in Saturday's third-place play-off.

France head coach Didier Deschamps confirmed that Mbappé is available for selection and acknowledged that the race to finish as the tournament's top scorer is a perfectly legitimate motivation.

Golden Boot Race Goes Down to the Wire

Mbappé enters the third-place match level with Lionel Messi on eight goals in the tournament.

However, Messi currently leads the Golden Boot standings because of his superior assist tally, having registered four assists compared to Mbappé's three.

England captain Harry Kane and midfielder Jude Bellingham remain outside contenders, with both players recording six goals and one assist heading into the final weekend of the tournament.

A goal against England could move Mbappé ahead of Messi before Argentina meet Spain in the World Cup final.

Deschamps: Individual Goals Are Legitimate

Speaking before the match, Didier Deschamps said Mbappé remains fully available and understands the importance of individual achievements alongside the team's objectives.

"Kylian is available. Every player has reasons to be motivated. His personal objective is completely legitimate, but we also want to finish this tournament with a victory."

 

Deschamps emphasized that although the match does not decide the championship, finishing third is still an important objective for France.

He also reminded everyone that only four teams reached the semi-finals, highlighting France's achievement despite the disappointment of missing the final.

France Aim to End Tournament on a High

France suffered a heavy defeat against Spain in the semi-finals, ending their hopes of lifting a second World Cup title under Deschamps.

England, meanwhile, were heartbroken after surrendering a second-half lead before losing 2-1 to Argentina in dramatic fashion.

Both nations will now compete for the bronze medal in Miami.

France have previously played in the World Cup third-place play-off three times, winning against West Germany (1958) and Belgium (1986) before losing to Poland (1982).

Mbappé Nears Another World Cup Milestone

Beyond the Golden Boot race, Mbappé is also closing in on another remarkable achievement.

The French forward has now scored 20 goals across his World Cup career, leaving him just one goal behind Lionel Messi in the all-time World Cup scoring charts.

Saturday's match represents Mbappé's final opportunity to close that gap before the next FIFA World Cup in 2030.

Deschamps to Manage France for the Final Time

The third-place play-off will also mark the end of Didier Deschamps' remarkable 14-year reign as France manager.

The match will be his 187th and final game in charge of the national team.

During his tenure, Deschamps has guided France to:

• 🏆 FIFA World Cup champions (2018)
• 🥈 FIFA World Cup runners-up (2022)
• 🏅 FIFA World Cup third-place play-off (2026)
• 121 victories, the most by any France manager
• 27 World Cup matches, more than any coach in tournament history

Deschamps is also one of only three people to have won the FIFA World Cup as both a player and a manager, alongside Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer.

Reflecting on his final match, Deschamps admitted leaving the French national team would be emotional but said he remains optimistic about the future.

"I know this is the end of the road. Coaching France has been the greatest privilege of my career, and although I'll miss it, I'm positive about what comes next."

A Final Chance Before the World Cup Ends

For France, the third-place play-off offers an opportunity to finish the tournament with pride.

For Mbappé, however, the match carries even greater significance, as he looks to surpass Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot and add another individual achievement to his already extraordinary World Cup career.