EAST RUTHERFORD: France superstar Kylian Mbappe etched his name deeper into FIFA World Cup history after producing a match-winning brace in a 3-0 victory over Sweden, moving within one goal of Lionel Messi’s all-time scoring record.
Mbappe starred as France cruised into the quarter-finals at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, taking his remarkable World Cup tally to 18 goals in just 18 appearances.
The 27-year-old’s latest double saw him overtake Miroslav Klose and climb to second place on the list of the competition’s all-time leading scorers, leaving only Argentina captain Lionel Messi ahead of him.
Most goals in FIFA World Cup history:
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 19
- Kylian Mbappe (France) – 18
- Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 16
- Ronaldo Nazario (Brazil) – 15
- Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 14
- Just Fontaine (France) – 13
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Mbappe’s first goal of the night also set another landmark, making him the highest-scoring player in World Cup knockout matches with 10 goals.
The French forward surpassed Brazilian icon Ronaldo Nazario, underlining his reputation as one of the tournament’s greatest performers.
The brace also strengthened Mbappe’s bid for the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup. He has now scored six goals in the tournament, drawing level with Messi, but moves ahead in the race thanks to his two assists.
In addition, Mbappe’s overall World Cup contribution now stands at 22 goal involvements, comprising 18 goals and four assists. That takes him past Brazilian legend Pelé into second place for the most combined goals and assists in World Cup history, with only Messi remaining ahead on 27.
READ: Mbappe scores twice as France breeze past Sweden into World Cup last 16
