Boston, Jul 01 (V7N) — France captain Kylian Mbappé etched his name into football history after scoring twice in his side's 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the highest scorer in World Cup knockout-stage history.
Mbappé reached the landmark with his second goal of the match in the 74th minute, taking his tally to nine goals in FIFA World Cup knockout matches—from the Round of 16 through the final. The achievement moves him ahead of Brazilian legends Leônidas and Ronaldo Nazário, who previously shared the record with eight knockout goals each.
The French superstar also climbed level with Lionel Messi in the race for the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot, taking his tournament tally to six goals.
In addition, Mbappé's brace increased his overall World Cup total to 18 goals, leaving him just one goal behind Messi's tally of 19 on the competition's all-time scoring chart.
France's impressive attacking display was orchestrated by midfielder Michael Olise, who produced another influential performance in midfield. His assist during the match took his total to five assists in the tournament, matching the highest number recorded in a single FIFA World Cup since German midfielder Thomas Häßler achieved the feat at the 1994 tournament.
Powered by Mbappé's record-breaking performance and Olise's creativity, France advanced to the Round of 16 with growing momentum as they continue their pursuit of another World Cup title.
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