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

Kylian Mbappe, captain of the French national team, recently matched Lionel Messi's goal tally in the current World Cup tournament by scoring his third brace. Despite their rivalry, Mbappe expressed confidence that Messi will continue to score more goals. Speaking after his latest performance, Mbappe said he is focused on enjoying the tournament fully, balancing high-level play with personal enjoyment, unlike earlier tournaments when he was younger and more focused solely on performance.

With his recent goals, Mbappe is now 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 in a relatively straightforward match, while France, having advanced to the round of 16, will face Paraguay, who recently upset Germany in a penalty shootout. Mbappe emphasized the importance of the knockout stage, calling it a "completely new tournament" and stressing the need to focus on the upcoming match against Paraguay.

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