Some nights, a single win doesn't just get recorded in a team's history; some nights, the history of football is rewritten. The match between France and Sweden in the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup was one of those nights.

Kylian Mbappe, by scoring two goals in France's 3-0 victory over Sweden, brought his total goals in World Cup history to 19 and is now just one goal away from Lionel Messi's historic record.

The 27-year-old star of France has surpassed the records of several football legends with these goals. He first became the second-highest scorer in World Cup history by surpassing Miroslav Klose and then broke the record of Ronaldo Nazário, the Brazilian football legend, by scoring his tenth goal in the knockout stages.

Mbappe is now not only closing in on Messi in the World Cup all-time scoring table but also, with six goals and two assists in the 2026 World Cup, currently has a better chance of winning the Golden Boot; because in the event of a tie in the number of goals, the number of assists will be the deciding factor.

His brilliance is, of course, just part of France's story. The Roosters have now scored at least three goals in five consecutive World Cup matches; a statistic that no team has recorded in the history of the tournament before.

France has also managed to win its first four matches in the World Cup for the second time in its history; an event that last occurred in the 1998 World Cup on the path to this team's championship.

Now France must face Paraguay in the next stage, but many football fans are looking elsewhere; at Mbappe's goal tally.

One more goal will place him alongside Messi. Two more goals, and Mbappe will hold a record that seemed unattainable for years.

Source: Gulf News