Kylian Mbappé has moved to within one goal of Lionel Messi’s all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record after guiding France to a hard-fought victory over Paraguay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
France struggled to break down Paraguay’s disciplined defence for much of the contest, with goalkeeper Orlando Gill producing a series of outstanding saves to frustrate Didier Deschamps’ side. The breakthrough eventually came late in the match when substitute Désiré Doué was brought down inside the penalty area.
Following a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot, and Mbappé confidently converted the resulting penalty to secure France’s fifth consecutive victory of the tournament.
Softfootball understands that the goal took the France captain to 19 World Cup goals in just 19 appearances, leaving him only one strike behind Lionel Messi’s all-time tournament record of 20 goals.
Mbappé’s remarkable scoring consistency has further strengthened his reputation as one of the greatest World Cup forwards of his generation. His latest achievement has also reignited debates among football fans, with many comparing his rapid goalscoring pace to Messi’s record, which was built across multiple World Cup campaigns.
With France continuing their impressive run, all eyes will be on Mbappé as he looks to equal—or even surpass—one of the most iconic records in World Cup history.
