Mbappé now has 20 World Cup goals, trailing Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who tops the all-time scoring chart with 21 goals.
The French forward had the chance to equal Messi’s record during the match but missed a first-half penalty. He was substituted in the 76th minute after suffering an injury scare.
⚽ Kylian Mbappé moved within one goal of the all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record after finding the net in France’s 2-0 victory over Morocco, which sent Les Bleus into the semifinals. Here are the #WorldCup top scorers goals by match https://t.co/ugnL3mIplT pic.twitter.com/TZtmwVzDOd
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 10, 2026
Messi became the tournament’s all-time leading scorer earlier in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after surpassing former Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s record. The Argentine star, competing in his sixth World Cup, has now made 31 tournament appearances, extending his remarkable World Cup legacy.
Mbappé, meanwhile, is playing in his third World Cup and has featured in 20 matches. He first rose to international prominence during France’s 2018 World Cup-winning campaign, where he scored in the final against Croatia.
The two football icons produced one of the greatest World Cup finals in history in 2022, when Argentina defeated France on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw. Mbappé scored a hat-trick in the final, becoming only the second player to achieve the feat in a FIFA World Cup final.
Penalty goals have also contributed to both players World Cup records. Mbappé has converted three penalties during his World Cup career, while Messi has scored four from the spot.
Messi also set another tournament record in 2026. After missing a penalty against Egypt, he became the player with both the most penalties taken and most penalties missed in FIFA World Cup history.
Beyond the race for the World Cup title, Messi and Mbappé remain locked in the battle for the tournament s Golden Boot and the all-time World Cup scoring record.
Norway striker Erling Haaland and England captain Harry Kane are also among the leading scorers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Haaland has scored seven goals in his debut World Cup campaign, while Kane has netted six goals in the current tournament and has 14 World Cup goals across three editions.
Messi will have another opportunity to extend his all-time scoring record when Argentina face Switzerland in the World Cup quarterfinals.
