Kylian Mbappé's World Cup Goals and His Rivalry with Lionel Messi

Kylian Mbappé has been a force for France in the 2026 World Cup. Out of France’s 13 goals across four matches, he’s scored six, pushing Les Bleus into strong contention to win the tournament.

Mbappé is chasing down Lionel Messi’s all-time World Cup goal record. With 18 career World Cup goals, Mbappé trails Messi by only two goals as they head into the round of 16 against Paraguay. Messi, playing his last World Cup for Argentina, currently holds the top spot with 20 goals.

"I don’t think about it that way," Mbappé said after France's latest match when asked about the record. "Of course, I know all the stats and what people are saying – I watch TV, too – but I think only about how I can help my team, to be here once more on July 19 for the final."

Key Points About Mbappé’s World Cup Performance

Mbappé leads France with six goals at the 2026 World Cup, second in the tournament behind Messi.
He has scored 10 goals in World Cup knockout rounds, the highest total for any player in history.
In France’s recent round-of-32 victory over Sweden, Mbappé scored twice, helping secure the win.