Kylian Mbappé passed Pelé on the World Cup goal-scoring list and inched closer to setting the overall goal record for the tournament. And, Mbappé also set France’s national team goal-scoring record.
All that in just his first World Cup game of this tournament.
Stopping the 2022 Golden Boot trophy winner seems almost impossible.
Iraq coach Graham Arnold — tasked with slowing down Mbappé and the 2022 World Cup finalists France on Monday in the second Group I match — had an idea that might have worked.
“I asked if we could play three goalkeepers,” Arnold said with a laugh on Sunday. “But they said no.”
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The 27-year-old Mbappé, who stars for Real Madrid, has another milestone to hit against Iraq before his powerful foot takes a single kick. Already playing in his third World Cup and a champion in 2018, Mbappé will play his 100th international game for France.
“It’s always a pleasure to be able to play on the national team,” Mbappé said at a jam-packed news conference inside the locker room of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. “There’s nothing bigger than the national team. One hundred, that’s historic. All the more when it’s the World Cup.”
He could overtake coach and former captain Didier Deschamps (103 appearances as a midfielder) if France goes deep at this tournament. Barring injury, Mbappé could go on to overtake goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’ record of 145 appearances for Les Bleus.
Mbappé, one of two men to have a hat trick in a World Cup final, scored his 13th and 14th World Cup goals in France’s 3-1 tournament-opening victory against Senegal. Those were his 57th and 58th playing internationally, tying and passing Oliver Giroud for the most in the country’s rich history.
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Mbappé’s second goal vs. Senegal broke a tie with Pelé on the World Cup list.
His 14 World Cup goals include two at this tournament; eight in 2022, where he earned the Golden Boot trophy as top scorer; and four in 2018.
Mbappé is now tied with Germany’s Gerd Müller for the fourth-most in World Cup history. Mbappé is one behind Brazil‘s Ronaldo and two away from the record of 16 held by Miroslav Klose of Germany and Lionel Messi, who had a hat trick for Argentina in this World Cup.
With at least another decade and potentially at least two more World Cups, plus the remaining games in this event ahead of him, the debate has started to rage: Could Mbappé go down as the greatest ever World Cup player?
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“It’s debate for the people,” Mbappé said in English. “It’s debate for the journalists, debate for the fans of football. I think it’s good to debate about players. See who’s the best. For me, it’s not a question in my head. It’s just about how can I help my team tomorrow against Iraq and can I bring the trophy home in July.”
Mbappé joked he won’t play international games until he’s 40 and did tip his cap toward Messi as the current best player in soccer. He also refused to completely rule out a move to MLS — much like Messi did with Inter Miami — and noted David Beckham, co-owner in Miami, has made a pitch for Mbappé to one day make the move to the United States. Mbappé shrugged off the suggestion with a “we’ll see.”
“The American culture is different,” Mbappé said. “There are no limits to ambitions, I like it.”
That’s a potential move for well, well down the road.
Mbappé helped France win the World Cup title in 2018 and reach the final in 2022, when he was awarded the Silver Ball as the second-best player. Joined up front by Désiré Doué and reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, France went into this year’s tournament as the co-favorite along with Spain.
Les Blues won in 1998 and 2018, then lost the 2022 final to Argentina on penalty kicks.
Much to Iraq’s dismay, Mbappé only has to beat one goalkeeper and not three.
Arnold said he hasn’t decided on his goalkeeper for Monday after team captain Jalal Hassan allowed all four goals in Iraq’s 4-1 loss to Norway.
“We can’t control France’s performance, but we can control our own,” Arnold said. “And we’re making sure that the players are completely ready to go out there and show the world what they’re about.”
Iraq earned praise for throwing away trash and cleaning the rest of its locker room after its loss at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.
Iraq also left a heartfelt note on the locker room message board that said, “Thank you, Boston.”
“They made the mess,” Arnold said, “so then they cleaned it up. Out of respect for who we are and where we are. It was great leadership.”
