It was only a matter of time before Kylian Mbappé punished Sweden in the World Cup round of 32 on Tuesday.
In the 20th minute, France’s star forward found the back of the net before he was ruled offside, and just 12 minutes later, he took a strike that left the goal post rattling. Mbappé was determined to break through before half time and found his perfect opportunity in a short cornerkick play.
He received the ball just inside the box, did a stunning step-over to leave Swedish star Viktor Gyökeres down in the grass and rocketed a curving shot to the far post past goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström to secure a 1–0 lead in the 45th minute.
With the emphatic finish, Mbappé became the all-time leading goal scorer in the knockout stages of the World Cup. Mbappé scored his ninth goal in the knockout stages (across just nine matches in three tournaments), most famously including a hat trick in the 2022 World Cup final. He surpassed Leônidas and Ronaldo of Brazil, both of whom had eight goals in World Cup knockout round play.
But Mbappé didn’t stop there...
Mbappé Shines Brightest on World Cup Stage
Mbappé added his second of the night in the 75th minute. It was another right-footed rocket from the left side of the box to put France up by three.
Tuesday’s brace took Mbappé just one behind Lionel Messi in all-time World Cup goalscoring. Mbappé earned his 17th and 18th total tournament finishes, surpassing the former all-time goalscorer Miroslav Klose (16). It took 39-year-old Messi six World Cups to reach the 18-mark, but only three for the 27-year-old Frenchman. Still in the peak of his career, Mbappé is destined to surpass Messi at some point, if not this summer.
Mbappé also reached six goals this summer alone, surpassing Norway’s Erling Haaland in second in the tightly-contested Golden Boot race and tying for first with Messi.
Mbappé celebrated the moment with a warm embrace of French manager Didier Deschamps, who returned to the touchline after briefly traveling back to France for his mother’s funeral.
It is becoming increasingly evident that Mbappé feels most comfortable on soccer’s most prestigious stage. The World Cup was already second nature when he was just 19 years old, making his debut back in 2018. He starred in France’s World Cup win in Russia and walked away with the Best Young Player award after scoring four goals, including one in the title-win against Croatia. He became the first teenager since Pelé to score in a World Cup final.
Mbappé took his stardom to a new level in 2022 Qatar at 23 years old. Although his hat trick wasn’t enough to down Argentina in the final, he walked away with the competition’s Golden Boot—scoring a whopping eight goals—and the Silver Ball. He became just the second player ever, behind Geoff Hurst, to score three goals in a World Cup final.
The Frenchman has already broken so many records and produced so many iconic moments in soccer’s showpiece event; however, it appears he is only just getting started.
