Mbappe overtakes Pele and Messi in World Cup goal race as France star closes in on Klose record

MOSCOW, June 17 — France national football team striker Kylian Mbappe has surpassed Brazil’s Pele and Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the number of Fifa World Cup goals, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.

On Tuesday, France defeated Senegal 3-1 in New York in the first match of the World Cup group stage. Mbappe scored twice — in the 66th minute and in the 6th minute of compensated time (90+6).

The 27-year-old forward thus increased his World Cup goal tally to 14, equaling Germany’s Gerd Mueller (14). Pele has 12, Argentina’s Lionel Messi and France’s Just Fontaine have 13 World Cup goals each. Only Brazil’s Ronaldo (15) and Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16) scored more goals at the tournament.

Mbappe and Pele are also distinguished for being the only two teenagers in history to score in the World Cup final games.

Mbappe also became France’s top international scorer with 58 goals in 99 games, overtaking Olivier Giroud, who scored 57 in 137 caps and retired from the national team in 2024.

The World Cup is being held for the first time with 48 national teams participating across three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament will conclude on July 19. — Bernama-Sputnik/Ria Novosti