Kylian Mbappe Confident Lionel Messi Will Score More Despite Their World Cup Rivalry

Kylian Mbappe, captain of the French national team, has matched Lionel Messi's goal tally in the current World Cup tournament after scoring a third brace in the competition. Despite their rivalry, Mbappe expressed confidence that Messi will continue to score more goals. "I’m not focused on Messi or the top scorers list," Mbappe said, emphasizing his desire to enjoy the tournament while performing at his best. He noted that unlike previous tournaments when he was younger and more focused solely on performance, he now aims to combine high-level play with enjoyment.

With his latest two goals, Mbappe is just one goal shy of Messi’s all-time World Cup record of 19 goals. Argentina, led by Messi, is set to play Cape Verde, a surprise qualifier to the round of 32, on Saturday. France, having advanced to the round of 16, will face Paraguay, who stunned Germany by winning in a penalty shootout. Mbappe called the knockout stage "a completely new tournament" and stressed the importance of focusing on the upcoming match against Paraguay.

Additionally, Mbappe is two goals away from matching his own record of eight goals scored in a single World Cup, set in the previous tournament. Should France advance past Paraguay, Mbappe is likely to have a strong chance to set a new personal scoring record.