Mbappé Ties Klose for Second in World Cup Goals, Chases Messi's Record

Kylian Mbappé scored twice as France dominated Iraq 3-0 in World Cup group-stage play, bringing his tournament goal tally to 16 and tying German legend Miroslav Klose for second place in World Cup history. The 27-year-old striker, playing in his third World Cup, marked his 100th international appearance with a goal in the 14th minute, then added a second after the halftime break to secure France's advancement to the knockout stage.

Mbappé's two-goal performance puts him just two goals behind Lionel Messi, who set the new World Cup record at 18 after scoring twice for Argentina earlier the same day. Despite the statistical proximity, Mbappé downplayed any rivalry with the Argentine legend. "There is no rivalry. Lionel has always scored and he continues to do so," Mbappé said. "I don't want to start some kind of drama series with Leo." He added that his focus remains on team success rather than individual scoring records, stating: "I know what I need to do. For me, that's not so important."

France's coach Didier Deschamps praised Mbappé's consistent excellence and predicted he would break scoring records. "Records are there to be broken," Deschamps said. "He stands at 59 international goals and he will score many more." The striker's performance included a left-footed strike from 20 yards and a tap-in following a defensive error, showcasing his ability to score from different situations.

Mbappé's World Cup tally now includes four goals in the current tournament, eight from the 2022 edition (when he won the Golden Boot), and four from 2018. At 27, Mbappé is 11 years younger than Messi and could have multiple World Cups remaining to challenge the all-time record. The France star has already helped Les Bleus win the tournament in 2018 and reach the final in 2022, positioning him among football's elite strikers heading into the knockout rounds.