Race Between Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi: French Star Reacts to Records

France national team captain Kylian Mbappe has put an end to the talk regarding the competition with Lionel Messi in terms of efficiency at the World Cup. After scoring a brace in the match against Iraq, the forward increased his tournament goal tally to 16, equaling legendary Miroslav Klose. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

France won 3-0 in the match held in Philadelphia, which was interrupted for over two hours due to a severe thunderstorm. This success granted Didier Deschamps' pupils an early ticket to the playoffs. Alongside Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele also managed to get on the scoresheet.

This encounter marked Mbappe's 100th anniversary game for the France national team. He has now surpassed Brazilian Ronaldo (15 goals) in the list of the best scorers in World Cup history and now trails only Lionel Messi (18 goals) and record-holder Miroslav Klose. According to ESPN, the footballer emphasizes that team success is more important than personal achievements.

On personal rivalry and records

"There is no saga or enmity with Messi. Leo has scored, is scoring, and will continue to score. I don't track what he is doing, otherwise I would put too much pressure on myself and have to work harder. I only focus on my team," noted Real Madrid forward Mbappe.

According to the French star, as the number of goals increases, it is natural to approach higher peaks, but climbing the tournament table and the team's progression to the next stage remain his primary goals. Currently, Mbappe is only two goals away from Messi's absolute record.

National team head coach Didier Deschamps also spoke highly of his pupil's capabilities. In his opinion, Kylian Mbappe can play at a high level for a long time and break all existing records. The coach acknowledged that the level of phenomenal players like Mbappe, Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo is exceptional.

"Records are made to be broken. Kylian has passed the 100-game milestone and will continue to score goals. Whether he will play for many years like Messi or Ronaldo, I don't know, but as long as he is on the pitch, he is capable of raising records to an even higher level," Deschamps added.

This victory and Mbappe's excellent sporting form once again proved that the France national team is one of the main contenders for the next championship. For football fans in Uzbekistan, observing this indirect competition between stars evokes great interest, as Mbappe rewrites the history of world football with every move.