Afghanistan, July 5 -- France captain Kylian Mbappe drew level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after converting a penalty in France's Round of 16 match against Paraguay on Saturday.
Mbappe's penalty gave him seven goals at the tournament, matching Messi's tally as the knockout stage continued. The goal also increased his World Cup knockout-stage total to 11, extending what the provided material describes as the all-time scoring record in the competition's knockout rounds.
The French forward has been a central figure in France's World Cup campaigns since making his tournament debut in 2018. He helped France win the World Cup in Russia before reaching the final in Qatar four years later and has c...