Frenchman Kylian Mbappe equaled Lionel Messi for the most goals in the World Cup knockouts during his side’s last-16 tie against Paraguay on Saturday.
After converting the penalty, Mbappé has 12 goals (11 goals and 1 assist) in the knockout stages.
With his goal against Cape Verde on Friday, Argentina’s Messi surpassed Brazil’s Pele and Mbappe in terms of most goal contributions.
The 28-year-old Mbappé has now scored seven goals and is tied with Messi at the top of the 2026 World Cup golden boot race.
The France captain is one goal behind Messi for the most goals in the World Cup, while his counterpart tops the list with 20 goals.
Published on July 5, 2026
