Kylian Mbappé Sets New World Cup Records After France’s Quarter‑Final Win Over Morocco
Kylian Mbappé added another remarkable chapter to his World Cup legacy after inspiring France to a 2‑0 victory over Morocco in Thursday’s quarter‑final, securing a place in the last four of the 2026 tournament.
The forward’s goal carried historic weight. It made him the first player ever to reach 12 goals in FIFA World Cup knockout matches, extending a record he had already set earlier in the competition. The strike also lifted his overall World Cup tally to 20 goals, putting him level with Lionel Messi as the competition’s joint‑leading scorer.
Key Milestones Achieved
Mbappé’s World Cup resume now includes:
- Three World Cup appearances: Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and 2026.
- One World Cup title – champion with France in 2018.
- Two World Cup final appearances – winner in 2018, runner‑up in 2022.
- France’s joint‑most capped World Cup player – 20 appearances, level with Hugo Lloris.
- 17 World Cup victories – tied with Miroslav Klose; only Lionel Messi (20 wins) has more.
- 20 World Cup goals – joint‑highest scorer in tournament history alongside Lionel Messi.
- One goal per game average – 20 goals in 20 World Cup matches.
- Five World Cup assists.
- Six braces across three World Cup tournaments.
- One World Cup hat‑trick – scored in the 2022 final against Argentina.
- 12 World Cup knockout goals – the highest tally by any player in the tournament’s history.
- Four World Cup final goals – the most by any player in World Cup final matches.
- Golden Boot winner – top scorer at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with eight goals.
- FIFA Young Player Award – earned at the 2018 World Cup after helping France lift the trophy.
France will now await the winner of Friday’s quarter‑final between Spain and Belgium for a chance to contest the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Cup final.About the Author
