Kylian Mbappé surpasses Klose to stalk Messi’s all-time record
French forward Kylian Mbappé scored twice against Sweden to bring his career World Cup tally to 18 goals, moving past Miroslav Klose and sitting just one goal behind all-time leader Lionel Messi.
French forward Kylian Mbappé continued his historic ascent into football lore on Tuesday, netting a magnificent brace during France’s commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32.
The stellar performance elevated the 27-year-old superstar to 18 career World Cup goals. In doing so, he officially surpassed German legend Miroslav Klose to claim sole possession of second place.
The clinical display also intensified a legendary, modern rivalry on the global stage. Mbappé now sits exactly one goal behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who holds the all-time tournament record with 19 goals.
Furthermore, both talismanic forwards are currently deadlocked at the summit of the 2026 tournament’s scoring charts, having each contributed six goals for their respective nations as the knockout phase intensifies.
