Kylian Mbappe highlighted why he remains one of football’s greatest winners, scoring twice as France beat Sweden 3-0 in the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to draw level with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot tournament standings.The France captain now has six goals at the tournament, leveling with Argentina superstar Messi, while extending his remarkable legacy at the World Cup. Mbappe’s brace at the MetLife Stadium took his World Cup goals tally to 18 goals in just 18 appearances, leaving him just one behind Messi’s all-time record of 19.France’s dominant victory also set up a round of 16 clash against surprise package Paraguay as Didier Deschamps’ side continued their march towards a third consecutive World Cup final.
The battle for the Golden Boot is heating up
With increasingly fast knockout rounds, the race for the Golden Boot has become one of the biggest themes of the tournament.Top five scorers:
- Kylian Mbappe (France) – 6 goals
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 6 goals
Erling Haaland (Norway) – 5 goalsOusmane Dembele (France) – 4 goalsVinicius Junior (Brazil) – 4 goals
Mbappe’s latest brace also saw him become the top scorer in World Cup knockout history with 10 goals, surpassing Brazilian legends Ronaldo and Leônidas.Despite rising alongside Messi in the goalscoring charts, the France captain insisted that individual milestones remain secondary to winning trophies.“I think the aim, as I said, is to go as far as possible – to get to July 19 and come back here,” Mbappe said. “We’re trying to win; we’re going one step at a time. Of course, the more goals you score, the higher you go up the ladder.”
‘I don’t focus too much on it’
With their captain in red-hot form, Les Bleus became the first nation in World Cup history to score at least three goals in five consecutive games.The 27-year-old has dismissed comparisons with Messi in the race for World Cup records.“I’m also confident that Leo will score more goals, so I’m not focusing too much on that. I’m more focused on the opponents we might face and how close we are to our goal: the final,” he said.France have now outscored their opponents 13-2 in the tournament, while Mbappe’s red-hot form has turned the race for the Golden Boot into a fascinating duel with Messi as the World Cup enters its decisive phase.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Top Scorers: Outside the Top 5
- Three goals each: Deniz Undav (Germany), Johan Manzambi (Switzerland), Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), Julian Quinones (Mexico), Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Brian Brobbery (Netherlands), Matheus Cunha (Brazil), Harry Kane (England), Elijah Just (New Zealand), Yoane Wissa (Cabo Verde), Jonathan David (Canada), Ismail Saibari (Morocco) and Kai Havertz (Germany).
