Mbappé denied a third straight World Cup final, stays even with Messi in Golden Boot race
France's loss to Spain in the World Cup semi-finals ended Kylian Mbappé's hopes for a third consecutive final appearance. Mbappé remains in a tight race with Lionel Messi for the tournament's Golden Boot award.
Why it matters
The performance of global superstars like Mbappé and Messi is a primary driver of viewership and commercial interest in the World Cup.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kylian Mbappé saw it for himself on the field: France simply didn’t play well enough to reach a third consecutive World Cup final.
The France striker will have to settle for a third-place match and the continuing chase for another Golden Boot award in a tight race with Argentina superstar Lionel Messi.
Mbappé, one of the biggest stars of this year's World Cup and one of the game's greatest scorers, just couldn't generate many chances in his team's 2-0 loss to Spain in the semifinals on Tuesday.
Mbappé and Messi have eight goals each so far at this year's tournament. Mbappé, who won the Golden Boot at the last World Cup four years ago in Qatar, holds the first tiebreaker with a 3-2 lead on assists. Messi and defending champion Argentina will play again on Wednesday in the other semifinal match against England.
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