Mbappé lying in wait 

©IMAGO

Lionel Messi is now the record goalscorer at World Cups. The 38-year-old, captaining Argentina in their second group match against Austria, scored the goal that put them 1–0 up, making it his 17th goal in a total of six World Cup finals. He had previously missed a penalty. This took him past Germany’s Miroslav Klose. Kylian Mbappé could still draw level tonight when France face Iraq. The Real Madrid player currently has 14 World Cup goals to his name.

Messi scored a hat-trick against Algeria in the defending champions’ opening match, drawing level with Klose. It took him 28 matches to set the new record; Klose had reached the previous record in 24 matches. Mbappé is likely to be even quicker, as he is taking part in his third World Cup following 2018 and 2022 and has found the net 14 times in 15 appearances. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when France won the title, he scored four goals; in 2022, he netted eight, including three in the final defeat against Argentina. Only Brazil’s Ronaldo stands between the three World Cup winners, with 15 goals (see statistics).

For veteran Messi, the World Cup record is “just a statistic”, as the eight-time World Footballer of the Year had previously said. “As a child, I could never have imagined everything I would go on to experience. I don’t look at the number. It’s an honour to be alongside Klose, alongside Ronaldo and alongside Mbappé.” Klose, on the other hand, had already prepared himself for the prospect of losing his title back in January in an interview with German outlet Sport Bild. “I’m sure my World Cup goalscoring record will be broken soon.”.