Kylian Mbappe moved past Brazil legend Ronaldo in the World Cup history books after a masterclass performance in France’s 3-0 demolition of Sweden.
The Real Madrid forward scored twice as France progress to the round of 16 in emphatic fashion.
Mbappe’s record-breaking moment arrived in the 45th minute. After a sharp give-and-go with Ousmane Dembele, the Madrid star crossed over Sweden’s Viktor Gyokeres before rifling a finish past goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
The goal was Mbappe’s ninth in the knockout stages of the World Cup, breaking the record mark previously shared by Brazilian icons Leonidas and Ronaldo.
Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his France’s third goal against Sweden. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
“I’m very aware of who I am, how I play, what I shall do, but it’s not just about me,” Mbappe said. “The entire team is aware of what should be done. It is a new competition that has started today. We did play well, but we were timid. We could have done better at the beginning.”
Mbappe continued his impressive form after the restart. He added a third in the 74th minute, latching onto a perfectly weighted pass from Michael Olise, the forward finished expertly into the far corner.
The strike was his sixth of the 2026 tournament, moving him level with Argentina legend Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.
Also, Mbappe now boasts 18 World Cup goals, leaving him only one goal behind Messi’s all-time total of 19.
France will now face a crucial round of 16 match against Paraguay in Philadelphia on July 4. With Mbappe now in his best form, it’s left to be seen if he can be stopped.
