Kylian Mbappé, who already has a title and a runner-up finish in previous editions of the World Cup, arrived at the 2026 World Cup consolidating himself as one of the biggest references in world football, in addition to being close to registering new historical marks.
After finding the net twice in the match against Senegal, which ended 3-1 for France, the French striker reached the mark of 15 goals in World Cups. He now finds himself just one goal away from equaling the all-time goalscoring record, currently shared by Miroslav Klose and Lionel Messi, who recently scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s debut, intensifying the race for this mark.
Recognizing the importance of his participation in this race for records, Mbappé emphasized during a press conference on Sunday (21), the eve of France’s clash against Iraq, that the main focus in the World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico is not on breaking individual goal scores.
“On the issue of records, I already expected Messi to score his goals. He has that habit”, joked the star. “This question should be addressed to him now. He is at the top of the all-time top scorer table, and I am right behind. My desire is just to score to help my team progress further and further in the tournament. Scoring goals means we are moving forward, and my ultimate goal is to win the World Cup, nothing more than that”, declared the striker.
At another point in the interview with journalists, the striker, who wears the number 10 shirt for the French team, was asked which player stands out most among names like himself, Messi, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland. He did not hesitate in his response, making a point of including Cristiano Ronaldo in the discussion.
“Who is the best among the four of us? Lionel Messi. For me, he is the best on the planet, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. That is quite evident,” he explained. “I believe he has demonstrated his immense quality over many years,” he added.
“As far as I am concerned, I always try to deliver my best. I try to showcase my talent on the most important stages and contribute to my team winning the World Cup. The rest of this is an excellent subject for people, journalists and football lovers to debate”, he continued.
“It’s an interesting topic for discussion, about who would be the best. However, for me, there is no uncertainty, and I don’t spend much time thinking about it either. My only concern now is how we can beat Iraq the next day,” he concluded.
Kylian Mbappé reflects on his future as a possible coach
The French player also commented on his attitude as an attentive observer in France’s training and whether this behavior would be a foreshadowing of a future career as a coach after hanging up his boots.
“I’m not sure if I will actually become a coach. I just have a deep love for this sport,” he said. “I enjoy watching games, I try to understand what I’m watching and I like to learn. My existence has always revolved around football, and naturally you want to deepen your understanding of what drives your life. My goal is always to capture all the details, both what happens and what could happen on the field”, he explained.
After securing victory in the opening match of the tournament, the French team is scheduled to play Iraq this Monday (22), with the match scheduled to start at 6pm (Brasília time).
If the French confirm their favoritism and emerge victorious from the match, the team will automatically secure their place in the knockout stage of the World Cup.
Broadcast details: France faces Iraq in the World Cup
The confrontation between France and Iraq, scheduled for this Monday (22nd) at 6pm (Brasília time), will be broadcast live on CazéTV, which can be accessed at no additional cost through the Disney+ platform.