Kylian Mbappé etched his name deeper into football history after becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup knockout matches during 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The French captain scored twice as France cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sweden in their Round of 32 clash at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The win secured France's place in the Round of 16, where they will face Paraguay.
Mbappé opened the scoring just before halftime with a brilliant strike after creating space for himself inside the box. Bradley Barcola doubled France's lead eight minutes into the second half before Mbappé struck again in the 74th minute to put the result beyond doubt.
The brace took Mbappé's tally to 10 goals in World Cup knockout matches, surpassing Brazilian legends Ronaldo Nazário and Leônidas da Silva, who had previously shared the record with eight goals each. The 27-year-old achieved the feat in just nine knockout appearances across three World Cups.
Mbappé's two goals also took his overall World Cup tally to 18, moving him within touching distance of the all-time scoring record held by Lionel Messi. He is also level with Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings with six goals in the tournament.
France have emerged as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, scoring 13 goals and conceding only two so far in the tournament. Their attacking trio of Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise has been in sensational form, terrorising defences throughout the competition.
With records continuing to tumble and France looking increasingly unstoppable, Mbappé's quest for another World Cup title and more history is very much alive.
