Kylian Mbappe scored twice against Sweden on Sunday and the scariest thing about it is how routine it looked. The 27-year-old French captain now has 18 goals in 18 World Cup matches, which puts him one behind Lionel Messi’s all-time record. And he’s got the rest of this tournament, plus at least one more World Cup in his career, to keep climbing.
Mbappe’s first goal came right before halftime, a quick cut inside that left a Swedish defender flat-footed before he buried it from 15 yards out. His second, in the 74th minute at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, was a clinical finish from a tight angle that made the score 3-0 and effectively ended the match. France cruised from there, winning 4-0 to advance to the Round of 16.
The Numbers Are Getting Ridiculous
Eighteen goals in 18 World Cup appearances is absurd. Messi got to 19 goals over 26 matches across five tournaments. Mbappe is averaging a goal per game through two World Cups and a partial third. Even if Messi adds to his total later in this tournament, the gap feels temporary. Mbappe is 27, in his prime, and playing for a French team that keeps finding ways to win.
France has looked like the clear favorite from day one. They haven’t lost a knockout match since the 2022 final, and that loss was on penalties to Argentina. The 2018 champions look deeper, faster, and more confident than most of the field. Mbappe is the center of it all, but he’s not carrying the team alone — Antoine Griezmann is still pulling strings, the defense has been stingy, and young players keep stepping up.
Fans online have already started talking about a potential final rematch between France and Argentina on July 19. That would be Mbappe vs. Messi with the trophy and the scoring record on the line. You don’t need to fabricate drama for that one.
Paraguay Stands in the Way First
But let’s not skip ahead. France’s next opponent is Paraguay, the surprise package of this tournament, on July 4. Paraguay knocked out a higher-seeded team to get here and plays with a defensive discipline that could frustrate France early. The French side hasn’t faced a serious test yet, and Paraguay will try to make this ugly.
Mbappe is obviously the story here. He’s chasing history in real time and making it look like no big deal. But the record doesn’t matter much if France doesn’t win it all. He said as much in a brief postgame interview — personal milestones are nice, but he wants another ring. That’s the kind of talk that should worry everyone else still in the bracket.
One goal to tie Messi. Probably more after that.
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