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France Faces England; Messi-Mbappé Tie Drives Golden Boot Race

7/16/2026

Summary

Messi Ties

England and France meet in the third-place play-off on Saturday, with any goals counting toward the Golden Boot.
Mbappé (France) and Messi (Argentina) are tied at eight goals, with Messi leading assists (four) over Mbappé’s three.
Haaland (Norway) has seven goals, though Norway’s quarter-final loss ends his chance to add more.
Dembélé (France) and Oyarzabal (Spain) each have five goals, which contributes to the Golden Boot tiebreaker ranking assists first.

Summary

Messi Chasing Back-to-Back

Lionel Messi could become the first since Brazil’s 1958-62 team to win back-to-back World Cups, surpassing Diego Maradona.
At 39, Messi is likely playing his final World Cup, adding emotional weight.
Didier Deschamps may rotate France’s side for the third-place match, limiting Kylian Mbappé’s goal chances.
Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembélé and Mikel Oyarzabal still vie for the Golden Boot.

History

Historical Context

Brazil became the second nation to win back-to-back World Cups in 1958 and 1962, led by Pelé, and later amassed five titles overall. Argentina, the 2022 champions, now rely on 39-year-old Lionel Messi to chase a repeat, echoing Brazil’s historic quest for consecutive triumphs. The showdown also pits Messi against younger scorers Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot.

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Messi Ties

England and France meet in the third-place play-off on Saturday, with any goals counting toward the Golden Boot.
Mbappé (France) and Messi (Argentina) are tied at eight goals, with Messi leading assists (four) over Mbappé’s three.
Haaland (Norway) has seven goals, though Norway’s quarter-final loss ends his chance to add more.
Dembélé (France) and Oyarzabal (Spain) each have five goals, which contributes to the Golden Boot tiebreaker ranking assists first.

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