Mbappe nets 19th career World Cup goal, closes in on Messi’s record

France captain Kylian Mbappe moved within one goal of Lionel Messi’s all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record after netting his 19th career World Cup goal in Les Bleus’ 1-0 Round of 16 victory over Paraguay on Saturday.

The Real Madrid forward calmly converted a 70th-minute penalty after a VAR review ruled that Paraguay’s Diego Gómez had fouled Renato Veiga in the area, sealing France’s place in the quarter-finals.

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Mbappe’s latest strike came in his 19th World Cup appearance, leaving him just one goal behind Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the race to become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.

The goal also took the 27-year-old’s tally at the 2026 World Cup to seven, drawing level with Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. Mbappé won the award at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar despite France’s defeat to Argentina in the final.

France head coach Didier Deschamps praised his captain’s leadership and commitment after another match-winning display.

“I’ve said from the first day that he had the spirit. He gave all the athletic efforts,” Deschamps said after France’s victory.

“He’s a great top-class player on the pitch. But when he speaks, he speaks for the entire group.”

Mbappe also became the first player to score at least three goals in the knockout stages of three different World Cups, further cementing his place among the competition’s greatest performers.

The France captain had to withstand a physical challenge from Paraguay’s defenders throughout the contest before eventually breaking the deadlock from the penalty spot.

With France advancing to the quarter-finals, Mbappe remains locked in a fascinating battle with Messi for World Cup immortality.

While the Argentine icon is competing in what is expected to be his final World Cup, Mbappé has the opportunity to equal, or even surpass, the record before the end of the 2026 tournament.