bahrainthismonth.com | AUGUST 2026 SPORTS 65 6. Mbappé Claims Another Golden Boot Kylian Mbappé finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with ten goals, becoming the first player ever to win consecutive World Cup Golden Boots. It was another landmark achievement for one of world football’s outstanding forwards. 7. A New Scoring King Mbappé’s tournament ended with another record as his brace against England in the third-place play-off took him to 22 career World Cup goals, surpassing Lionel Messi to become the competition’s all-time leading scorer while still only 27 years old. 8. The Golden Boot Race For much of the tournament, Mbappé and Messi traded places at the top of the scoring charts. Their battle remained one of the competition’s defining storylines before Mbappé finally pulled clear with his decisive performance in the playoff. 9. Lamine Yamal Continues His Rise Still only 19, Lamine Yamal added the World Cup to the European Championship he won in 2024, becoming the youngest player to achieve both honours. His performances reinforced his status as one of football’s brightest young stars while placing him among the youngest players ever to appear in a World Cup final. 10. Messi’s Last Dance Should this prove to be Lionel Messi’s final World Cup, he once again shaped football’s biggest stage. His two assists in Argentina’s dramatic semi-final victory over England reminded supporters why he remains one of the game’s greatest players, even as the tournament hinted at a changing of the guard. 11. Neymar’s Emotional Goodbye Brazil’s campaign ended earlier than expected with a round of 16 defeat to Norway, marking the end of Neymar’s World Cup journey. Introduced from the bench, he scored an injury-time penalty before confirming his international retirement after the match, bringing the curtain down on a career that produced 80 goals for Brazil. 12. Modrić’s Last World Cup Luka Modrić’s remarkable World Cup story also appears to have reached its conclusion. Croatia’s defeat to Portugal was widely viewed as the midfielder’s final appearance on football’s biggest stage, ending a World Cup career spanning five tournaments and more than two decades. 13. Ronaldo Bows Out Cristiano Ronaldo had already confirmed that 2026 would be his final World Cup before Portugal arrived in North America. Although their campaign ended against eventual champions Spain, he still etched his name further into the record books by becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup editions.
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