'I don't care about being top scorer' – Mbappe declares after surpassing Messi on all-time charts

Kylian Mbappe insisted individual milestones mean little after climbing above Lionel Messi on the FIFA World Cup's all-time scoring charts, saying he would gladly trade the record for a place in the final.

The France star reached another historic landmark despite Les Bleus suffering a thrilling 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place play-off.

Mbappe's two goals against England took his overall World Cup tally to 22, moving him ahead of Messi atop the competition's all-time scoring chart.

The French forward also became only the fourth player in World Cup history to score 10 or more goals in a single tournament, matching a feat last achieved by Germany legend Gerd Muller at the 1970 World Cup.

Yet Mbappe believes his stay at the summit could be short-lived. With Argentina facing Spain in the final, he expects Messi to respond in trademark fashion.

"I would rather not be the top scorer and play in the final tomorrow. I do not care about being top scorer. Messi will score tomorrow. He always does," Mbappe said after the match, adding that he hoped his long-time rival enjoyed a great performance because he had earned it.

Despite his remarkable individual achievements, Mbappe admitted France's fourth-place finish left him frustrated.

The forward revealed the squad had been desperate to give departing coach Didier Deschamps a winning farewell but felt they let him down with a dismal first-half display.

Mbappe acknowledged critics would be justified in questioning the team's commitment, although he preferred to describe the performance as a human failure rather than a lack of respect for the shirt.

He praised France's second-half response, saying they rediscovered the mentality that had made them one of the tournament's strongest teams, but conceded the comeback was ultimately not enough to avoid defeat.

With reports linking Zinedine Zidane to the national team job, Mbappe believes France will learn from the painful experience and return stronger at the next World Cup.