Lionel Messi has already made history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but Kylian Mbappé is on his heels.
The France star has already broken his team’s record for the most international goals scored, and he’s right behind Messi’s ever-increasing record for the most goals scored ever at the World Cup, which now stands at 20 goals. Mbappé currently has 19 career World Cup goals.
Will Mbappé catch Messi before the World Cup is over? Follow along as we track Mbappé’s road to potentially catching up to Messi:
Mbappé At 2026 World Cup: 7 Goals
France vs. Paraguay (Round of 16, July 4): One Goal
The Golden Boot race is tied once again after Kylian Mbappé scored his seventh goal of the tournament, putting him level with Lionel Messi for the goalscoring title. France was awarded a penalty after VAR review and Mbappé calmly converted it from the spot.
France vs. Sweden (Round of 32, June 30): Two goals
Kylian Mbappé Scores Brace vs Sweden 🇫🇷 His Third in 2026 FIFA World Cup™
It was the third game at this tournament with Mbappé scoring two goals in one game. He has now scored 10 goals in the knockout stages of the World Cup, the most of any player in history.
Let’s just do the numbers:
- He has now recorded seven multiple-goal games at the World Cup (six braces, one hat-trick), at least three more than any other player in the history of the competition.
- He has now scored multiple goals in seven of his 18 World Cup appearances.
- He is now the second Real Madrid player to score six goals in a single World Cup, joining Davor Šuker (1998).
And this was all earlier than he truly was subbed off early to cap yet one more superb day.
France 3-0 Iraq (Group Stage, June 22): Two objectives
France’s Kylian Mbappé Scores Two Targets vs Iraq | 2026 FIFA World Cup™
Mbappé moved right into a tie for the second-most objectives scored by a males’s participant on the FIFA World Cup after scoring two objectives towards Iraq on Tuesday. He scored his first aim of the day within the 14th minute, making a powerful, left-footed shot from outdoors the field for his fifteenth profession World Cup aim.
Then, after a two-hour-long rain delay, Mbappé scored his sixteenth profession World Cup aim due to a mistake by Iraq. The French star was capable of go one-on-one with Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil after he turned the ball over in his personal penalty field. The aim moved Mbappé again to simply two objectives behind Lionel Messi for probably the most objectives scored ever within the World Cup.
Mbappé’s second aim of the day additionally helped him break a tie with former Brazil star Ronaldo for the third-most objectives scored by a males’s participant within the World Cup, whereas he tied former Germany star Miroslav Klose.
France 3-1 Senegal (Group Stage, July 16): Two objectives
Kylian Mbappé Turns into France’s All-Time Main Goalscorer within the FIFA World Cup™ 🇫🇷
Mbappé grew to become France’s all-time main goalscorer along with his second aim of the event and his 58th for France. Olivier Giroud, who retired from France’s nationwide staff following Euro 2024, was beforehand France’s all-time main goalscorer, scoring his 57th aim in March 2024 on the age of 37.
Mbappé additionally eclipsed France legend Simply Fontaine and Lionel Messi to Gerd Müller for the third-most objectives in World Cup historical past with 14.
Mbappé At 2022 World Cup: 8 Targets
(Picture by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside through Getty Pictures)
On the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Mbappé had a outstanding event, scoring eight objectives to win the Golden Boot. His event included a historic hat-trick within the closing towards Argentina, making him the primary participant to attain three objectives in a World Cup closing since 1966. Nonetheless, Mbappé and France got here up brief towards Argentina, dropping on penalties.
Mbappé At 2018 World Cup: 4 Targets
(Picture by Matthias Hangst/Getty Pictures)
On the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Mbappé broke onto the worldwide scene, scoring 4 objectives as a 19-year-old and enjoying a key position in France’s championship run. Throughout that marketing campaign, he grew to become solely the second teenager to attain in a World Cup closing when he discovered the online in France’s 4-2 victory over Croatia in 2018.
