Kylian Mbappe celebrated his 100th France appearance in spectacular fashion, scoring twice in a 3-0 victory over Iraq as he closes in on Lionel Messi’s all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record.
FIFA World Cup: Mbappe puts pressure on Messi’s record
The French captain’s brace took his World Cup tally to 16 goals, drawing him level with German legend Miroslav Klose in second place on the all-time list.
Mbappe now trails Messi by just two goals after the Argentine superstar scored twice earlier on Monday to reach 18.
The historic match took place at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, where Mbappé announced his intentions early with a powerful strike from distance in the 14th minute.
Severe weather then forced players and supporters to endure a delay of over two hours before play could resume.
When action restarted, Mbappe pounced on a defensive error to add his second goal in the 54th minute. Ousmane Dembele rounded off the scoring to secure France’s passage to the Round of 32.
Defender Jules Kounde praised his captain after the final whistle. “Everyone in the squad hopes to see him continue breaking records,” Koundé said.
Earlier in the day, Messi stole the spotlight with two goals in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria, despite missing an early penalty.
The 38-year-old’s double made him the outright leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with 18 goals, moving him ahead of Klose.
Messi leads the way with 18, followed by Mbappe and Klose on 16, Ronaldo Nazário with 15, and Gerd Müller and Just Fontaine tied on 14.
While Messi currently holds the record, the 27-year-old Mbappé continues to narrow the gap, creating one of the most compelling storylines of the 2026 tournament.
France face Norway on Thursday, 25 June, in their final Group I fixture, with top spot on the line. Argentina meet Jordan on the same day in Group J, giving both stars another chance to add to their tallies.
The knockout rounds beckon, and the battle for World Cup scoring supremacy is far from over.
