​FOXBOROUGH, MA – Kylian Mbappé remains within striking distance of Lionel Messi in the race for World Cup history, edging ever closer to tying or surpassing the Argentine icon with another standout performance. Mbappé added his 20th career World Cup goal in the 60th minute of France’s quarterfinal clash with Morocco on July 9, continuing to push the boundaries of international scoring records.
The goal arrived when a ball dropped perfectly for the French superstar inside the 18-yard box. He curled it with precision past Yassine Bounou, sending the ball into the right corner of the net and lifting France to a 1-0 lead. The strike not only marked Mbappé’s eighth goal of the current World Cup campaign—tied with Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race—but also kept him on his well-known one-goal-per-World-Cup-match pace, now tallying 20 goals across his World Cup appearances.
This tally came after Mbappé had endured a missed opportunity on a penalty early in the match. Bounou saved the spot kick with a dive to his left, marking the first penalty Mbappé has failed to convert in World Cup action. The miss did little to derail France’s momentum, as Mbappé continued to add to his already impressive performance in this tournament.
Ahead of the quarterfinal, Mbappé had already showcased his scoring prowess, delivering three braces through the knockout rounds. His seventh goal of the tournament came from a penalty against Paraguay in the round of 16, the lone French goal in a 1-0 victory that sent Les Bleus through to this stage.
France remains focused on securing a third consecutive appearance in the World Cup final. To reach that goal, they must first overcome Morocco, the same adversary they defeated in the 2022 semifinal. If Les Bleus prevail, they would advance to face the winner of the Spain versus Belgium match from July 10 in a semifinal slated for July 14.
This recap reflects coverage originally published by USA TODAY, highlighting Mbappé’s 20th World Cup goal as the quarterfinal against Morocco unfolded. The narrative underscores Mbappé’s continued pursuit of World Cup history alongside Messi, as fans and analysts watch to see how the rest of the tournament unfolds.