Kylian Mbappe levelled Lionel Messi on six goals in the Golden Boot Race 2026 after scoring twice in France’s 3-0 win over Sweden. The match tightened the race at the top and left the two forwards sharing the same tally after one result changed the picture.
Mbappe’s two-goal swing
Mbappe did the damage for France in the 3-0 win over Sweden. His two goals took him to six and brought him level with Messi in the chase for the Golden Boot award.
The scoreline matters because it moved France through a clean win while shifting the scoring race at the same time. One match produced the result France wanted and the exact total Mbappe needed to catch Messi.
Messi and the Golden Boot
After the game, Mbappe said, "Lionel Messi, will score more goals". That line carries the sharpest edge in this story: the player who just pulled level still backed the man beside him to move ahead again.
So the race now sits on six goals apiece. Mbappe has put himself alongside Messi, but his own comment points to a chase that can change again as soon as either player scores next.
France, Sweden and six goals
For France, the clean 3-0 win is the immediate team result. For the Golden Boot race, the important number is six. Mbappe’s two-goal night erased the gap and turned the contest into a tie that keeps both names at the center of the tournament scoring fight.
The next shift belongs to the next goal. If Messi scores more, he moves back ahead. If Mbappe scores again first, he reclaims the edge.
