Kylian Mbappé scored his 19th career World Cup goal on Saturday, bringing France closer to Lionel Messi’s all-time record, as Les Bleus secured a 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16. The French captain converted a penalty in the 70th minute after a video review found Paraguay defender Diego Gomez guilty of tripping, breaking the deadlock in a tightly contested match.
Mbappé’s goal marked his seventh in the tournament, putting him level with Messi in the race for the Golden Boot, awarded to the World Cup’s top scorer. Mbappé previously won the honor in 2018 in Russia but lost in the final four years later to Messi and Argentina. Notably, Mbappé is now the only player to have scored at least three goals in the knockout stages of three World Cups, underscoring his consistent impact on the world’s biggest football stage.
France coach Didier Deschamps praised Mbappé’s determination and leadership after the match, highlighting both his athleticism and his influence on the team’s dynamic. “He gave all the athletic efforts… He’s a great top-notch player on the pitch. But when he speaks, he speaks for the entire group,” Deschamps said.
The encounter was marked by physicality and intense moments, with Mbappé facing some of the most aggressive defending of the tournament. Early in the match, tensions flared after Paraguay’s Andrés Cubas fouled Mbappé, leading to brief confrontations between players. Another incident saw Matías Galarza elbow Mbappé, causing him to fall to the ground. The physical play extended to the end of the game, when Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill appeared to react after Mbappé declined a handshake, throwing the ball at the French forward’s back.
Mbappé acknowledged the tough nature of the match and the mental preparation required. “We knew what kind of match it was going to be,” he said in French. “We can also get our hands dirty, we know how to do it. They were probably thinking we were going to show up in tuxedos, but we were ready.”
France will advance to the quarterfinals following this narrow victory as Mbappé continues to build his legacy in World Cup history.