Kylian Mbappé Breaks Pelé’s Record with 13th World Cup Goal for France

Kylian Mbappé scored his 13th World Cup goal on Tuesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, moving past Pelé and into a tie for fourth place on the tournament’s all-time scoring list. The France forward broke through in the 66th minute of France’s World Cup opener against Senegal after several earlier chances were denied by goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. The strike also gave Mbappé his 57th goal for France, matching Olivier Giroud’s national team record.

Mbappé, 27, is playing in his third World Cup and has now matched the totals of Argentina star Lionel Messi and France legend Just Fontaine. He sits one goal behind Germany’s Gerd Müller and two behind Brazil icon Ronaldo, while Germany’s Miroslav Klose remains the all-time World Cup scoring leader with 16 goals.

The milestone adds to Mbappé’s already major World Cup resume. He helped France win the tournament in 2018 and played a leading role in the 2022 edition, when France reached the final and Mbappé earned the Silver Ball as the second-best player. Coming into this tournament, France were viewed as co-favorites alongside Spain, with Mbappé leading a front line that also includes Désiré Doué and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé.

Mbappé started strongly against Senegal, finding space between defenders several times in the opening minutes. He was less sharp with the ball for much of the first half, but France gradually found rhythm and improved their attacking connection after halftime. His goal ultimately proved decisive in the opener and reinforced his status as one of the most productive scorers in World Cup history.

The Paris-born forward has also been in strong club form, scoring 25 goals for Real Madrid this past season. With his latest international milestone, Mbappé continues to strengthen his place among football’s elite and remains on pace to challenge some of the biggest scoring records in the sport.