Kylian Mbappe breaks World Cup goalscoring record

Kylian Mbappe keeps making history for PSG and France on a game-to-game basis. After scoring two more goals yesterday against Poland in the World Cup Round of 16, Mbappe broke another goalscoring record with the France international squad.

The forward from PSG scored his ninth goal in all World Cup tournaments he's been part of, becoming the youngest to ever reach that figure. Mbappe, born on Dec. 20, 1998, is now the only player to reach the nine-goal mark before turning 24.

With his latest scoring effort, Mbappe (9) beat Pele (7) while clearly outpacing Lionel Messi (1) at goals scored in World Cups through their 23rd birthday.

"My goal is to win the World Cup," said Mbappe after the game against Poland on Sunday. "It is my dream, my only dream. That's why I'm here." Mbappe already won the 2018 World Cup with France at the ripe age of 19 years old.

Mbappe has scored his nine goals in one World Cup and a half, actually, with France facing England in the quarter-finals and a potential three-match run still ahead of the French side. There is a real possibility Mbappe hits double-digit goals through the remainder of the tournament even if France is eliminated in the quarter-finals game.

Kylian Mbappe has 9 World Cup goals and is already aiming at Miroslav Klose's all-time record before turning 24

At present, Mbappe trails World Cup top-goalscorer Miroslav Klose (16) by just seven goals scored over four editions of the tournament. If Mbappe keeps up with his level of play and isn't hurt by injuries, could have two or three World Cup tournaments ahead of him, at the very least, to reach or beat that mark and become the greatest goalscorer in World Cup history.

Mbappe scored four goals in the 2018 World Cup but has already beaten that figure with five goals scored in the 2022 World Cup with at least one more game in his schedule. He leads the current tournament goalscorers table followed by a handful of players with three goals, but none with four goals entering Monday's Round of 16 games.

Kylian Mbappe could also aim at Juste Fontaine's goalscoring mark with France: 13 World Cup goals (another record: he scored all of them in the 1958 WC alone). At his current tally of nine with five in this edition exclusively, bagging four more goals isn't out of Mbappe's realm of possibilities with three potential games remaining and one more guaranteed this weekend.