EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kylian Mbappe entered the 2026 World Cup knowing another strong tournament could make him the competition’s all-time leading goal scorer.
At this rate, the Real Madrid superstar may get there next week.
Mbappe bagged an explosive second-half brace in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal in Tuesday’s Group I opener to become France’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals, one ahead of Olivier Giroud.
And by adding his 13th and 14th career World Cup goals, he moved past Pele and Lionel Messi and is within two of equaling Miroslav Klose for the all-time tournament record.
If a reminder was needed, Tuesday showed the world Mbappe remains its most explosive player as he attempts to help his country reach a third straight World Cup final.
“Kylian was very efficient. Ruthlessly efficient,” France manager Didier Deschamps said of his captain through an interpreter. “He’s an iconic player. I’ve always said that. He can from time to time miss a game or two, but on one action, he really is able to tip the scales.”
Not to say the 27-year-old was a one-man show. Michael Olise’s inspired play early in the second half — and Deschamps’ decision to play him more centrally — might have even been more critical to Les Bleus’ victory.
But after looking adrift from his teammates at times before the break, Mbappe’s second half reassured the world he remains a supernatural force for his country, even if his club existence in Madrid has become fraught of late.
“People say he doesn’t defend enough. Well, he’s not here to defend,” Deschamps said. “He does a lot for the group. On the outside, you can think he’s selfish. Well, that’s your opinion. I’m very happy for him.”
Said Mbappe, “It’s no relief. If I start to think about all people who criticize me all the time, I’ll never stop. No, I play for my country, I play for my team to go all the way to the finals, and the rest is just parts of my character.”
Perhaps the occasional accusations of selfishness in Spain — as if averaging 40 goals per season is bad for your club — stem from how simple he makes the difficult appear.
It was so against Senegal.
On his first goal in the 66th minute, Mbappe made a diagonal run toward the near corner of the 6-yard box to reach Olise’s pass, then sliced a deceptively difficult first-time low finish across his body, guiding it perfectly between the charging frame of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and the far left post.
On his second in second-half stoppage time, Mbappe hung just close enough by to be an option as Olise took on seemingly all of Senegal’s midfield. When the ball came to him, he coolly turned and unleashed a ballistic strike that Mendy must have thought was savable until it wasn’t, knuckling ever further away from his outstretched arms.
Barring something catastrophic, Klose’s record may now be a matter of when rather than if. The moment could come as early as Monday in Philadelphia, when France tackles an Iraq side likely to be its easiest opponent, and one that conceded multiple goals on four occasions in the third round of AFC qualifying.
“I think we’re not fully started yet,” said Mbappe in potentially frightening words for future opponents. “But it’s good to start off with a win. We can’t stop worrying. … No one is protected from surprises. But this will help.”
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
