The 2026 World Cup has exploded into life, and the biggest names in football have wasted no time in making their presence felt. Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi have continued their never-ending battle, with the Frenchman scoring a brace against Senegal and Messi responding with a hat-trick. The Argentine has reclaimed the spotlight, but Mbappe is hot on his heels, just two goals behind Messi's tally.
Mbappe has always spoken openly about his admiration for Messi, but when it comes to the World Cup, he becomes a completely different player. The biggest stage brings out something special in him, and his numbers tell the story. His World Cup resume is already among the best, 16 goals in 16 matches, a winner's medal from 2018, and a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
With age on his side, Mbappe is expected to challenge, and perhaps even break, some of the biggest World Cup scoring records in the years ahead. He has always looked like a different beast in the French jersey, and the World Cup seems to bring out another level of hunger and belief in him.
