World Cup 2026 Soccer Kylian Mbappe passes Lionel Messi on all-time World Cup goals list in France’s win over Senegal By Dylan Svoboda Published June 16, 2026, 9:29 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The New York Post on Google Kylian Mbappé made history during France’s World Cup opener victory over Senegal on Tuesday.
With a pair of goals en route to the 3-1 win at MetLife Stadium, the French superstar surpassed Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time top scorer with his 58th career international goal.
The scores brought Mbappé to 14 career World Cup goals, which ties him with Germany’s Gerd Müller for the third-most all time, trailing only Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazário (15) and Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16).
Before the game, Mbappé was tied with Pelé with 12 career World Cup goals and sat behind fellow countryman Just Fontaine and Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who both have 13 throughout their careers.
Mbappé scored his first goal in the 66th minute to break a 0-0 tie after a slow-moving start to the match.
Quickly after Senegal cut France’s lead to 2-1 in stoppage time, Mbappé scored on a long-range kick to move the lead back up to two and all but secure the win.
“It’s relief. We did have some apprehension,” France coach Didier Deschamps said after the game through an interpreter, per ESPN. “It’s always great to start with a win. It’s not decisive, but it’s good to start in that way.”
Mbappé is looking to lead Les Bleus to their third straight World Cup final and third all-time win following titles in 1998 and 2018.
Four years ago, Mbappé won his second Golden Boot with eight goals during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
France lost to Messi and Argentina in the final game of that tournament, falling short of winning back-to-back World Cups.
Mbappé and France next take the field Monday against Iraq in Philadelphia.
