France Beats Sweden 3-0 to Reach Last 16 as Mbappe Nets 2

Q: With the knockout goal record now his, can Mbappé also overtake Messi’s all-time World Cup goal tally before this tournament ends?

Yes. Mbappé can still overtake Messi before the 2026 World Cup ends, but he does not control it on his own. Mbappé’s goal against Sweden moved him to 17 career World Cup goals, two behind Messi’s 19. That means if Messi does not score again, Mbappé would need at least three more goals to move ahead outright; two more would only draw level. If Messi adds to his total for Argentina, Mbappé would have to outscore him by at least three over the rest of the tournament to finish in front. The opportunity is real because France are still alive and, if they finish off Sweden, will advance to face Paraguay in Philadelphia. In the expanded 48-team format, France could still have several knockout matches left, giving Mbappé multiple chances. His form also supports the possibility: he already has five goals in this tournament and has just set the outright World Cup knockout scoring record with nine. Still, Messi remains the favorite to keep the overall mark for now because Argentina are also still in the tournament and he is scoring heavily too, with six goals in 2026 already. So the race is live, but Mbappé likely needs both a deep France run and at least one quieter stretch from Messi to end this World Cup as the all-time leading scorer.

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 30

Kylian Mbappe scored in the 45th and 74th minutes as France swept past Sweden 3-0 in New Jersey, booking a last-16 meeting with Paraguay in Philadelphia.
Michael Olise drove the win with two assists and a constant threat, helping France dominate possession and chances after both he and Mbappe had already struck the woodwork before halftime.
Bradley Barcola added France's second in the 53rd minute, while Sweden's attack—led by Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak and Anthony Elanga—rarely saw enough of the ball to respond.
Mbappe moved level with Lionel Messi on 6 goals in the tournament's Golden Boot race and reached 18 career World Cup goals, one short of Messi's overall record of 19.
The victory keeps Didier Deschamps' final tournament alive after the coach returned from his mother's funeral, with France now heavily favored to advance again against surprise qualifier Paraguay.