PHILADELPHIA — Kylian Mbappe is still favored to eventually capture the World Cup career goals record. But as he heads into France’s second World Cup group game against Iraq on Monday, part of the matter remains out of his control.
If there was any doubt of that, it was quashed resoundingly last Tuesday as both Mbappe and Lionel Messi played their opening World Cup matches.
In the afternoon, Mbappe scored his 13th and 14th World Cup goals to move above the soon-to-be 39-year-old Messi, alone into third place on the all-time chart and within two of all-time leader Miroslav Klose.
At night, Messi answered with something the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has never done before: a World Cup hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria.
“I already knew that Leo Messi was going to score goals,” Mbappe said Sunday of potentially setting a new mark. “He always does. It’s more of a question for Leo.
“He’s ahead of me. I’m behind. I will keep scoring to help my squad go as far as possible.”
The two-time champion French remain among the favorites to win the tournament after defeating a Senegal side that is considered alongside Morocco as Africa’s best.
In France’s second match, they face an opponent appearing in their first World Cup in 40 years and throwing caution to the wind while doing so.
Iraq ultimately fell 4-1 to Norway in their group opener, with Erling Haaland becoming yet another star who scored multiple times last Tuesday.
But they were well in the game after Aymen Hussein’s 39th-minute leveler. And Australian manager Graham Arnold has pledged to again take a positive approach in his side’s second game despite being considerable underdogs.
“I’ve always been a coach that goes out expecting to win a game, not trying not to lose,” Arnold said. “If you have that mentality, yes, you will have days where it might not work, but you’ll get plenty of days where it will work.”
Iraq are still searching for their first-ever World Cup point, having lost all three of their matches in Mexico in 1986 by a single goal.
They’ll be boosted by the return of winger Ali Jasim, who has been cleared to play after leaving the loss to Norway early with a neck injury.
–Group J: Argentina vs. Austria, Arlington, Texas: Messi looks to build off his explosive start as Argentina continue their bid to become the first repeat champion since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. They face an Austria side coming off its first World Cup win since 1990, a 3-1 triumph over tournament debutants Jordan.
–Group I: Norway vs. Senegal, East Rutherford, N.J.: In their first World Cup finals appearance since 1998, Norway could reach the knockout phase with a win before they face France. Senegal would not be eliminated with a loss, but points would certainly help their prospects.
–Group J: Jordan vs. Algeria, Santa Clara, Calif.: Both teams could be eliminated with a loss and the wrong result elsewhere. For Jordan, their first-ever World Cup points could also be on the line.
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
