Who are the World Cup record-holders?

Multiple footballing records were broken at the 2026 World Cup.

Lionel Messi's eight goals in Argentina's opening six matches meant he became the first player in World Cup history to score 21 goals in the tournament.

But France's Kylian Mbappe then became the overall top goalscorer in World Cup history as he eclipsed Messi with 22 goals.

He produced a Golden Boot-winning return of 10 goals in eight games - setting another record in the process by becoming the first player to win the award twice, following his first-place finish in 2022.

Germany also initially broke Brazil's mark for total goals scored by a nation in the history of the World Cup (243) following their 7-1 win over Curacao - only for the Selecao to end the tournament setting a new record four goals ahead of them (247).

The 2026 contest held across the United States, Canada and Mexico was already a record-breaking tournament in terms of size.

With 48 teams, it was comfortably the largest World Cup in history, introducing a 50% increase from the 32 teams that have participated since the 1998 World Cup in France.

Here are the World Cup records that have been broken - and those that will likely be standing for years to come.

In the 96-year history of the men's Fifa World Cup, just eight nations have won the tournament.

Of those eight, seven have done it multiple times with Spain's victory over Argentina making them double winners and leaving England as the only one-time champions.

Brazil hold the record for most World Cup wins with five, emerging victorious in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.

Germany and Italy are the next most successful nations with four trophies each. Three of Germany's wins were as West Germany, prior to the national teams of West and East Germany merging after the 1990 World Cup.

Defending champions Argentina have three World Cups to their name, while Spain, France and Uruguay have two each.

The full list of World Cup winners by year is as follows:

Mbappe eventually came top in his battle with Messi for World Cup goalscoring supremacy, with his tally at the end of the tournament putting him one ahead of the Argentina legend.

Given it is likely to have been Messi's final World Cup, there is every chance Mbappe will write himself even further into the history books in future tournaments.

Former Germany striker Miroslav Klose had held the record for most World Cup goals prior to the 2026 tournament, but now finds himself third with 16.

Former Brazil forward Ronaldo ranks in fourth place with 15 goals from 19 games.

In joint-fifth place is Gerd Muller, whose international career was spent representing West Germany. He netted 14 World Cup goals in just 13 appearances. At this World Cup, England captain Harry Kane has moved level with Muller for World Cup goals.

Former France striker Just Fontaine is in seventh place and Brazil's three-time World Cup winner Pele has 12 goals and sits in eighth place.

Joint-ninth on the list are Sandor Kocsis (Hungary), Jurgen Klinsmann (West Germany/Germany) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) with 11 goals each.

In terms of total goals scored by nations at the tournament, Brazil are ahead of Germany by four goals.

Having been level on 239 goals each after the opening two rounds of matches, Brazil have 247 to Germany's 243.

Third in the list are 2022 winners Argentina, who have netted 171 times in the competition.

France (152), Italy (128), England (124) Spain (122) and Netherlands (107) are the only other nations with more than 100 goals, with England's six-goal haul against France in the third place final helping them leapfrog champions Spain into sixth place.

Uruguay (92), Hungary and Sweden (both 87) complete the top 11 highest goalscoring nations at the tournament.

As well as holding the record for most World Cup goals, Messi is already the record holder for most World Cup minutes played.

Across 32 World Cup matches, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has played 2,844 minutes. That is 628 minutes more than the next highest, former Italy defender Paolo Maldini, a runner-up in 1994.

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo (2,206) is third with Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in fourth (2,160).

German midfield great Lothar Matthaus, a World Cup and Ballon d'Or winner in 1990, is the only other player with more than 2,000 World Cup minutes (2,045).

Uwe Seeler, a West Germany striker between 1954 and 1970, sits sixth on the list with 1,980 minutes played. Croatia midfielder and Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric (1,967) has moved to seventh this summer.

Former Argentina internationals Javier Mascherano (1,950) and Diego Maradona (1,940) are eighth and ninth respectively, while Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (1,931) completes the top 10.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.