Kylian Mbappe overtakes Lionel Messi again during France vs Morocco at World Cup; List of records by French superstar
Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty, scored one and assisted one as France beat Morocco to march into the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026. In the last four, France will take on either Spain or Belgium.
Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are playing cat and mouse in the FIFA World Cup 2026. After going ahead of Messi with his goal against Paraguay, the French superstar was dethroned when the Argentine captain scored the equaliser against Egypt. Mbappe, who plays for Real Madrid, ensured that he take the top spot again as the 25-year-old scored one in France's 2-0 victory over Morocco on their way into the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal.
Both Mbappe and Messi are level on eight goals each but the Frenchman takes the top spot in the Golden Boot (most goals) standings owing to his three assists as compared to one by the Argentinean. The result ends Morocco's impressive run after another historic World Cup campaign.
In the semifinals, France will take on either Spain or Belgium.
Updated Golden Boot standings at 2026 World Cup
| Player | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kylian Mbappe (France) | 8 | 3 | 564 |
| Lionel Messi (Argentina) | 8 | 1 | 465 |
| Erling Haaland (Norway) | 7 | 0 | 418 |
| Harry Kane (England) | 6 | 1 | 489 |
| Ousmane Dembele (France) | 5 | 2 | 492 |
List of records broken by Kylian Mbappe
- France captain Kylian Mbappe became the youngest player to make 20 FIFA World Cup appearances and the fastest player to reach 20 goals in the tournament's history.
- Mbappe's goal marked another milestone in his remarkable World Cup journey, taking his tally to 20 goals across the 2018, 2022 and 2026 editions. The France captain moved within one goal of Messi's all-time World Cup scoring record of 21 goals.
- This was Mbappe's eighth goal in FIFA World Cup 2026. Mbappe's eighth goal of the 2026 World Cup also saw him join Argentina's Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race.
- Mbappe has scored the winning goal in eight FIFA World Cup matches, now the outright most of any player in history, as per OptaJoe.
- Mbappe also became the first player in France's history to be directly involved in 100 international goals, achieving the milestone with 64 goals and 36 assists for Les Bleus.
- Mbappe also matches Messi for a record of missing a penalty, scoring a goal and assisting in the same World Cup match. Messi achieved the feat against Egypt.
- Mbappe also went second in the list headed by Messi to miss a penalty, score a goal and assist in a same World Cup match. While Mbappe did it thrice, Messi leads the race with five such instances in the last 60 years.
- With eight goals and three assists, Mbappe became the first player since 1966 to have 10-plus goal contributions in two seperate World Cups. He had 10 in 2022 and 11 so far in 2026.
- His 11-goal contribution in the 2026 World Cup is the most by a footballer in a single edition since legendary Gerd Muller (13) of Germany in 1970.
- Mbappe also tied with Messi with 14 goal contributions in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the most in last 60 years.
Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.
About the Author
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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