Kylian Mbappé moves past Messi, Fontaine after France beats Senegal

Kylian Mbappé became three goals shy of the World Cup scoring record as France defeated Senegal 3-1 on Tuesday, moving past Lionel Messi and Just Fontaine after netting his 12th tournament goal in the 66th minute. The strike opened the scoring and put him level with Pelé.

Mbappé moved past the Brazil great in the 66th minute with the match’s first goal, equalling fellow countryman Just Fontaine and Lionel Messi on 12 World Cup goals. When Senegal reduced France’s lead to 2-1 in stoppage time, Mbappé unleashed a long-range strike past goalkeeper Édouard Mendy to restore the two‑goal advantage.

His second goal also broke the deadlock with Olivier Giroud, making Mbappé France’s all‑time top scorer with his 58th international goal. The strike marked his 14th World Cup tally, tying him with Germany’s Gerd Müller for third place on the all‑time list.

Only Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazário (15) and Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16) remain ahead of them on the men’s record. Mbappé achieved his 14 goals in just 15 World Cup matches, whereas Lionel Messi needed 26 games for 13, and Klose required 24 matches across four tournaments.

Just Fontaine’s prolific record of 13 goals came from six games in a single World Cup, a benchmark that will be difficult to surpass. Mbappé’s rapid rise places him within striking distance of that historic feat.

Beyond personal milestones, Mbappé is eyeing France’s third consecutive World Cup final appearance. He also targets a second Golden Boot, having outscored Messi by one goal (8 to 7) at Qatar 2022. With 14 goals, Mbappé is now three goals away from the all‑time World Cup record held by Klose.