Spain knock out France, but Mbappe remains in Golden Boot race with Messi: Where it stands

Kylian Mbappe had been tearing through the World Cup, collecting eight goals and three assists in his first six matches. However, in Tuesday’s semifinal in Dallas, Spain found the one thing every opponent had been searching for: a way to quiet Mbappe. And they did it decisively.France’s hopes of reaching a third straight World Cup final were ended as Spain kept Les Bleus’ feared attack unusually quiet. The tournament’s most intimidating attacking unit struggled to find its rhythm, managing just three shots on target, with their first arriving only in the 81st minute.For Mbappe, the night was even more unusual. The French footballer failed to record a single shot on target, something that has happened only once before in his World Cup career, in the 2022 quarter-final against England, a match France still won 2-1.Why Kylian Mbappe lashed out at Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla: Racism row, 'hacking' after World Cup clashThe Golden Boot race While France’s title hopes have disappeared, Mbappe’s individual ambitions remain very much alive.The 27-year-old still has the third-place playoff in Miami on Saturday, where he will face the loser of the England-Argentina semifinal. It may not carry the same glamour as a final, but for Mbappe, it could be a golden opportunity. His eight-goal lead is no longer comfortable, with some of football’s biggest names closing in:Lionel Messi is level with Mbappe on eight goals, although the Frenchman currently leads the tiebreaker thanks to his three assists compared with Messi’s two.Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are just behind with six goals each.The England duo also have a match in hand, meaning a semifinal win over Argentina could give them two more chances to chase down Mbappe.Suddenly, the often-overlooked third-place playoff has a lot more at stake than just a bronze medal.A forgotten match with a golden historyThe last time a third-place playoff carried this much Golden Boot drama was in 1958, when French legend Just Fontaine scored four goals against West Germany in the playoff. That helped him finish the tournament with a record 13 goals. Chasing records beyond the Golden BootWinning the Golden Boot again would put Mbappe in rare company. He already claimed the award at the 2022 World Cup after scoring seven goals. A second straight triumph would place him alongside recent winners such as Kane, while adding another remarkable achievement to his growing legacy.And there is an even bigger number within reach. Despite his evening against Spain, Mbappe has scored 20 World Cup goals in just 21 appearances, only one behind Messi’s all-time tally of 21.Before France vs Spain: Zidane’s headbutt on Materazzi and the 2006 World Cup final French football never forgotTom Holland on Erling Haaland ghosting his dinner invite: 'That's the type of humbling experience actors need'How Erling Haaland became the World Cup’s happiest story— a winner without a trophyHaaland hails Bellingham after England midfielder’s masterclass