Kylian Mbappe snubs Lionel Messi record talk with one clear World Cup goal: 'Leo is going to score more'

New York: France captain Kylian Mbappe has made it clear that winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains his ultimate objective, even as he edges closer to Lionel Messi's all-time World Cup scoring record.

Mbappe, who scored twice in France's 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32, took his tally to 18 World Cup goals, moving to within one goal of Messi's record of 19. The brace also saw the French superstar draw level with the Argentina captain on six goals in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot.

Despite the milestone being within touching distance, Mbappe downplayed suggestions that breaking Messi's record was on his mind.

"I think the goal, as I said, is to go as far as possible—to make it to July 19 and come back here," Mbappe told reporters after France's win.

He added that while goals naturally help a player climb the scoring charts, they are secondary to France's pursuit of another world title.

"But I'm also convinced that Leo is going to score more goals, so I don't focus too much on that. I'm more focused on the opponents we might face and how close we're getting to our goal: the final."

France eye another deep World Cup run

Mbappe's latest performance reinforced France's status as one of the favourites for the title. Didier Deschamps' side comfortably dispatched Sweden to book a Round of 16 clash with Paraguay.

While pleased with France's attacking display, Mbappe believes there is still room for improvement.

"We'll keep working between now and the Paraguay match to see what we can improve because there are still some sequences that aren't quite clear enough. Still, I think it's positive overall, and our ability to score goals means we always have the chance to take the lead in matches," he said.

Messi and Mbappe renew iconic rivalry

The World Cup has once again reignited the rivalry between Messi and his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate. Messi has already enjoyed a prolific tournament for defending champions Argentina, while Mbappe has matched his six-goal haul after four matches.

Although the two are competing for both the Golden Boot and the all-time World Cup scoring record, Mbappe has consistently maintained that personal achievements take a back seat to team success.

The 27-year-old has repeatedly spoken of his admiration for Messi, previously describing the Argentine and Cristiano Ronaldo as the benchmark of world football while insisting comparisons do not influence his mindset.

Focus shifts to the knockout stage

France will next face Paraguay in the Round of 16, while Argentina take on Cape Verde as both teams continue their pursuit of another World Cup title.

Mbappe's comments underline his determination to prioritize collective glory over individual accolades, even as he stands on the verge of rewriting one of the tournament's most prestigious records.