With a brace in France's round of 16 victory over Sweden, Kylian Mbappe has now scored 6 goals at World Cup 2026, drawing level with Lionel Messi in the tournament's scoring charts.

However, Mbappe stressed his sole focus is on advancing as far as possible, aiming to reach the final again and secure a second title. The France captain stated that while scoring is good, it is not new to him and less important than winning.

Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring France's third goal in their 3-0 victory over Sweden in the World Cup 2026 round of 16 at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US on 30/6. Photo: AP

"I am sure Messi will score more goals, so I am not truly focused on that," Mbappe stated after the 3-0 win over Sweden in the round of 16 on 30/6. "My focus is more on the opponents we might face and the goal we are nearing: the final."

At MetLife Stadium, France dominated possession with 61%, registering 25 shots, 13 of which were on target, compared to Sweden's 8 shots with 3 on target. This dominance translated into three goals. Mbappe broke through on the left flank to open the scoring in the 45th minute, later sealing the victory with a diagonal shot in the 74th minute. Bradley Barcola netted the other goal in the 53rd minute with a shot into the top corner.

The captain expressed satisfaction with France's start to the knockout round, highlighting the team's sustained high performance after winning all three group stage matches. Mbappe urged his teammates to maintain their strong starts, as seen in recent games. He noted this is a key difference between national team and club tournaments, where clubs have more time to rectify errors. A national team tournament spans only one month, significantly shorter than a nine-month club season.

The victory over Sweden propels France into the round of 16, where they will face Paraguay on 4/7. Should they advance, the reigning runner-up could potentially meet Morocco in the quarterfinals, followed by Portugal or Spain in the semifinals.

"We need to improve some aspects, but overall, it's positive," Mbappe commented on the road ahead. "Our strong scoring ability means we always have a chance to take the lead."

Mbappe's 6 goals at World Cup 2026 have come from three matches, with braces against Senegal, Iraq, and Sweden. The 27-year-old striker did not score against Norway in the final group stage match but contributed two assists in France's 4-1 victory. Consequently, Mbappe currently leads the Golden Boot race, level with Lionel Messi in goals, but ahead on assists. Erling Haaland is third with 5 goals.

Messi will have an opportunity to extend his tally when Argentina faces Cape Verde in the round of 16 on 3/7. A victory would see them advance to the quarterfinals against either Australia or Egypt.

As they are in separate brackets, Argentina and France could only meet if both reach the final. In 2022, after a 3-3 draw over 120 minutes in the final, Argentina defeated France 4-2 in a penalty shootout. Mbappe notably scored a hat-trick in that match, with Messi netting two goals.

Thanh Quy (according to AS)