Messi and Mbappe Surge in World Cup Goalscoring Charts
Quick Look
- Lionel Messi scored twice in Argentina's 2-0 win over Austria, reaching 18 World Cup goals.
- Kylian Mbappe also scored twice in France's 3-0 win over Iraq, equaling Miroslav Klose's record.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have made significant goalscoring advancements in the World Cup, potentially surpassing Miroslav Klose's record.
Miroslav Klose began Tuesday as the joint-leading goalscorer in World Cup history; it is only a matter of time before he drops to third on the list.
Lionel Messi’s double in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria took him to 18, two clear of the World Cup winner, while Kylian Mbappe’s double in a 3-0 win over Iraq left him level with the German.
A severe weather delay meant almost three hours passed between Mbappe’s first and second, and by the time France left the field, Norway were already one up on Senegal.
In the day’s final game, Jordan and Algeria will battle it out at 11am for the right to finish second behind Argentina in Group J, but until then, here’s what happened overnight.
A great goalscorer
Mbappe has reached 16 goals in 16 World Cup appearances, has scored 11 in his past 12 internationals, and at the age of 27 should have at least one more World Cup in his career.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Kylian Mbappe will surpass Miroslav Klose's goal record.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Will Messi or Mbappe break Klose's record?
- How many more goals will they score?
