Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé lead the scoring at the FIFA World Cup as the tournament’s early matches produce multiple record-linked milestones, according to several outlets. Messi becomes the all-time leading scorer at the World Cup, adding to his total with five goals in Argentina’s first two matches to reach 18 career World Cup goals. Mbappé follows closely, scoring four times for France and moving to 16 career World Cup goals, which puts him tied for second on the overall list. Other high-profile forwards are also finding the net. Norwegian striker Erling Haaland has scored four goals for Norway in his country’s first two World Cup matches, and one report notes a brace against Senegal. Cristiano Ronaldo also adds to his career tally after scoring two goals against Uzbekistan, bringing his World Cup total to 10. Some coverage also highlights Harry Kane’s two goals in his tournament opener. Together, the reports describe a start where multiple elite players are pushing World Cup career-scoring totals upward while the Golden Boot race intensifies.
Messi sets World Cup scoring record as Mbappé and others also post early goals
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé lead the scoring at the FIFA World Cup as the tournament’s early matches produce multiple record-linked milestones, according to several outlets. Messi becomes the all-t...
- Lionel Messi becomes the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, reaching 18 career World Cup goals after scoring five in Argentina’s first two matches.
- Kylian Mbappé scores four goals for France and reaches 16 career World Cup goals, tied for second place.
- Erling Haaland scores four goals for Norway in his first two World Cup matches, including a brace reported against Senegal.
- Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice against Uzbekistan, raising his career World Cup goal total to 10.
- Harry Kane is also reported to have scored two goals in England’s opening match.
A historic scoring milestone has been reached at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé all netting seven goals each. Haaland's late brace secured Norway's stunning upset over Brazil, propelling them to the quarterfinals. This unprecedented feat has intensified the Golden Boot race, showcasing a captivating battle between football's modern greats.
1 month agoHere's how Messi and Mbappe stack up against the World Cup's highest-scoring showings.
1 month agoLionel Messi broke the all-time record for goals at the FIFA World Cup early into this year's tournament; Kylian Mbappé is doing everything he can to make sure that Messi doesn't leave with it.
1 month agoLionel Messi has been mesmerizing. Kylian Mbappé has been, well, magnifique. Two of the biggest stars of the World Cup are setting records with history-making goals in a sizzling start that has even the most casual soccer fans in the U.S. taking notice. Messi has five goals in Argentina's first two matches, setting the record for career World Cup goals with 18. Mbappé has scored four times for France, moving into a tie for second with 16 goals. “Leo always scores,” Mbappé said. “He’ll always score. If I want to look at what Leo’s doing, I’ll have to do even more.” They are not alone in hitting the back of the net. Norway's Erling Haaland already has four in his country's first two games at the World Cup since 1998. And Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo broke out with two goals against Uzbekistan on Tuesday to raise his career World Cup total to 10. But Messi and Mbappé are the maestros making this World Cup their personal symphony. It's one they've been writing since the 2022 final in Qatar, when Messi scored twice and Mbappé three times before Argentina finally won on penal
2 months agoLionel Messi has been mesmerizing. Kylian Mbappé has been, well, magnifique. Two of the biggest stars of the World Cup are setting records with history-making goals in a sizzling start that has even the most casual soccer fans in the U.S. taking notice. Messi has five goals in Argentina's first two matches, setting the record for career World Cup goals with 18. Mbappé has scored four times for France, moving into a tie for second with 16 goals. “Leo always scores,” Mbappé said. “He’ll always score. If I want to look at what Leo’s doing, I’ll have to do even more.” They are not alone in hitting the back of the net. Norway's Erling Haaland already has four in his country's first two games at the World Cup since 1998. And Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo broke out with two goals against Uzbekistan on Tuesday to raise his career World Cup total to 10. But Messi and Mbappé are the maestros making this World Cup their personal symphony. It's one they've been writing since the 2022 final in Qatar, when Messi scored twice and Mbappé three times before Argentina finally won on penal
2 months agoForwards are delivering at the FIFA World Cup. Argentina's Lionel Messi has become the top scorer in the history of the competition, closely followed by France's Kylian Mbappé. Also highly noticed, Norwegian Erling Haaland, who scored a brace against Senegal. Besides Messi, Mbappé and Haaland, football enthusiasts have their eyes on England's Harry Kane, who scored two goals in his opening match, and was the top scorer at the 2018 tournament.
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