France had stared into the abyss after conceding four goals in the first half. Many might have expected a heavy defeat for the French side. But they came roaring back after the break. France found the net early in the second half, and Kylian Mbappé not only helped pull his team back from the brink with a pair of goals, but also surpassed Lionel Messi in a personal milestone. The French captain is now the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.
France broke the deadlock early in the second half with a brilliant attacking move. Mbappé scored his ninth goal of this World Cup after receiving a superb pass from teammate Michael Olise — Olise’s fourth assist for a Mbappé goal this tournament. With that goal, Mbappé equaled Lionel Messi’s World Cup record of 21 goals, while also moving to the top of the race for this year’s Golden Boot.
France’s attacking momentum then grew even stronger. In the 66th minute, the chemistry between Olise and Mbappé struck again. Mbappé scored his second goal of the match — and France’s third — with a brilliant one-two with Olise. That goal made history, as Mbappé surpassed Messi to become the World Cup’s all-time top scorer with 22 goals. The strike also brought the scoreline to 4-3, as France, devastated after the first half, produced the thrill of a remarkable comeback.
With plenty of time still left in the match, both the goal tally and the drama seem likely to grow further. Following his brace, Mbappé’s tournament tally now stands at 10 goals. His closest rival in the Golden Boot race, Messi, has eight. That battle, however, is not yet over — the Argentina captain will take the field against Spain in Sunday night’s final, giving him a real chance to reclaim the record from Mbappé. It remains to be seen which of these two football superstars will have the last laugh in this record-breaking duel.
