Kylian Mbappe expects Lionel Messi to add another goal to his remarkable FIFA World Cup tally when Argentina face Spain in Sunday’s final, even if it comes at the expense of the Frenchman’s place atop the Golden Boot standings. The France captain finished the tournament as the leading scorer after Les Bleus’ third-place playoff defeat to England, but admitted he would not be surprised if Messi overtook him on football’s biggest stage.
Mbappe scored once again in France’s 3-2 loss to England in the third-place playoff, taking his tournament tally to 10 goals and 4 assists. However, with France missing out on the final, the Real Madrid forward admitted he would happily exchange individual milestones for another shot at lifting the World Cup trophy.
Speaking after the match, Mbappe predicted that Messi would continue his scoring run when Argentina face Spain in New Jersey.
“Messi is going to score (on Sunday), that’s for sure. I’m just trying to help my team win,” Mbappé said, according to Reuters.
Golden Boot race not his priority
Mbappe’s latest strike strengthened his position among the tournament’s top scorers while also taking him past Messi’s overall World Cup scoring record to 22 goals at the helm but the France captain insisted personal records meant little after another World Cup campaign ended short of the title.
“When you score a lot of goals at the World Cup, it puts you in a certain category. I would have preferred not to be the all-time top scorer and to be playing tomorrow’s match.”
“It’s good in terms of legacy, but today it’s not the first thing on my mind,” he ded.
France had entered the tournament among the favourites but fell to Spain in the semi-finals before suffering another defeat against England in the third-place playoff.
Backing Messi before the final
Although Mbappe can no longer influence the Golden Boot race, Messi still has one match left to play against Spain.
The Argentina captain has already scored eight goals in the tournament and could overtake Mbappe in Sunday’s final. Mbappe admitted that possibility has never bothered him.
“I’m also convinced that Leo is going to score more goals, so I don’t focus too much on that.”
Instead, the France forward said his attention throughout the tournament had remained fixed on helping Les Bleus reach the final.
“The goal, as I said, is to go as far as possible to make it to July 19 and come back here. We’re trying to win; we’re taking it one step at a time.”
He acknowledged that goals naturally enhance a player’s standing but insisted trophies remain the ultimate objective.
“Of course, the more goals you score, the higher you climb in the rankings – I’m not telling anyone anything new there.”
One last chapter for Messi
Mbappé’s prediction adds another layer of intrigue ahead of Sunday’s final, where Messi will attempt to guide Argentina to successive FIFA World Cup titles.
If the 39-year-old scores two goals against Spain, he will not only strengthen Argentina’s chances of defending their crown but could also finish as the outright Golden Boot winner, capping another remarkable World Cup campaign.