​FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Kylian Mbappé is staying in step with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot battle at the World Cup. After missing a first-half penalty in France’s quarterfinal against Morocco on Thursday, Mbappé pulled level with Messi by scoring in the 60th minute, marking his eighth goal of the tournament. That total ties Messi for the tournament lead and puts Mbappé one goal clear of Erling Haaland, the Norway forward who has seven.
Moments after Mbappé’s goal, Ousmane Dembélé found the net in the 66th minute to push France ahead 2-0. The quick succession gave the French a comfortable cushion as the match progressed. Mbappé was substituted in the 77th minute, and as he left the field at Gillette Stadium, he turned and waved to the home crowd with both hands, acknowledging the fans as he departed.
In the larger context of the World Cup, Mbappé’s current tally also moved him within one goal of Messi on the all-time World Cup scoring list, with 20 goals in 20 matches for Mbappé. Messi, who remains ahead with 21 goals across 31 World Cup appearances in six tournaments, extended the record for most World Cup goals, surpassing the previous mark of 16 that had been held by Germany’s Miroslav Klose.
As the tournament continues, the upcoming fixtures add further intrigue to the Golden Boot race. Norway is scheduled to play England in the quarterfinals on Saturday, while Messi is set to lead Argentina against Switzerland later that same night. The competition remains wide open, with Mbappé and Messi both poised to keep contesting the top spot as the tournament progresses toward its later stages.