​Kylian Mbappe World Cup goals projection: How France star can run away with all-time record in 2030, 2034 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Kylian Mbappe’s three World Cup appearances have all been prolific and put him in elite company among the best goal scorers ever.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMbappe has played in the maximum number of World Cup matches in his career, as France won it all in 2018, then lost in the Final in 2022. Even if France doesn’t return to the Final this year, that means Mbappe would have played in all but one possible World Cup match in his three tournament appearances.Therefore, Mbappe’s penchant for scoring is largely tied to France’s success, which will continue even more as he gets older. The French captain should have at least a few more World Cups left in him, giving him a chance to make a mark on the sport.With Mbappe likely to play in at least two more World Cups, here’s a look at how many goals he could score in those events.2026 WORLD CUP HQ:Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup ticketsAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKylian Mbappe already has the best start to a World Cup career compared to any other player in history, as he trails only Lionel Messi for the most goals in World Cup history. Over his three World Cup appearances, Mbappe has increased his production, going from four goals in his 2018 debut to eight in 2022, and now he is a goal away from reaching nine this year.At 27 years old, its possible that this is the peak of Mbappe’s World Cup experience, but he should still be effective over the next few events.Mbappe will be 31 years old in 2030, still young enough to be at the center of France’s attack but likely not as dominant as his current state. As long as France is a contender, Mbappe should have a chance to play in the maximum eight World Cup games, but he probably wouldn’t keep up the goal-per-game ratio by then.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIf he doesn’t do it in 2026, then Mbappe will be in line to break Messi’s record for most World Cup goals in 2030, when Messi likely retires. From there, he should be able to create even more space between the two.Goals projection: 6By 2034, Mbappe will be a grizzled veteran at 35 years old and likely the highest-scoring player in World Cup history. Messi and Ronaldo have proven that modern players can still be effective in their mid-to-late 30s, so Mbappe should still be a dangerous player in 2034 even if he isn’t the center of the offense.Once again, Mbappe’s goal opportunities will come down to how far France advances in the World Cup, and there’s a chance that FIFA expands the World Cup to 64. At the very least, Mbappe will have the chance to extend his record by then and add to his legacy.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGoals projection: 4MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:Printable World Cup bracketRanking remaining World Cup teams in semi