Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi’s Parallel World Cup Journeys

By Mason Reed — 10 July 2026 — 4 min read

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi have demonstrated parallel performances in the World Cup, with both players scoring and missing penalties in their respective matches. Their journeys in the tournament have shown both similarities and differences, as they each pursue a second World Cup title.

In one instance, Messi took a penalty against Egypt in Atlanta. Similarly, Mbappe failed to convert a penalty against Morocco in Foxboro. Goalkeepers Mostafa Shobeir and Yassine Bounou made saves from both attempts. Following these penalty misses, both players subsequently scored, with Messi finding the net at the Mercedes Benz Stadium and Mbappe scoring at Gillette Stadium. This has kept Argentina and France on a path that could lead to a final encounter, reminiscent of their previous meeting in Qatar.

Mbappe’s World Cup Records

Mbappe has continued his scoring form in the World Cup, contributing a goal for France in their 2-0 quarterfinal victory against Morocco in Boston. This goal, a second-half strike, placed him level with Messi for non-penalty goals in the tournament.

The forward has surpassed Olivier Giroud to become France’s all-time top goal scorer, now holding 64 goals for the national side. He also holds the record for France’s top scorer at the World Cup, having surpassed Just Fontaine’s record of 13 goals with his 14th World Cup goal against Senegal.

Mbappe’s first goal against Sweden established him as the leading goal scorer in World Cup knockout matches, surpassing Leonidas and Ronaldo. He has since added goals against Sweden, Paraguay, and Morocco, accumulating 12 World Cup knockout goals.

He also became the first player to record 11 direct goal contributions in two different World Cups. He achieved double-digit contributions in the Qatar World Cup 2022 with eight goals and two assists, and has improved on these figures in the current tournament. This achievement marks him as the first player to reach 10 or more contributions in two separate tournaments since records began in 1966.

Mbappe is now a joint record holder for the most appearances for France in World Cup finals, matching Hugo Lloris with 20 appearances. He is the youngest player to reach this milestone.

Contrasting Journeys

While Mbappe has maintained a calm demeanor, Messi’s World Cup experience has been marked by high performance amidst challenging circumstances. France’s progression has been described as smooth, with no extra-time matches and no goals conceded in the knockout stages. Mbappe has faced physical challenges, including attempts by Paraguay to impede him and racial abuse from a Paraguayan senator. Despite this, he has appeared composed on the field.

France’s ability to create scoring opportunities is evident, with 22 shots against Morocco. This consistent creation of chances suggests that when Mbappe missed his penalty, he did not appear unsettled. Coach Deschamps noted that there were no doubts among the players or Mbappe himself. Mbappe subsequently scored by curling a shot past Issa Diop and Bounou.

Messi’s tournament began with a hat-trick against Algeria. However, he could have faced a red card for a foul on Aissa Mandi before scoring. Algeria filed a formal complaint with FIFA regarding the incident. Messi also experienced emotional moments, appearing to cry at the end of the game against Algeria, which he attributed to personal reasons unrelated to football, specifically his father’s health situation.

In the Round of 32 against Cape Verde, Messi gave Argentina the lead. However, Cape Verde equalized in the 103rd minute through Sidny Lopes Cabral, leading to a Diney own-goal as the decider. Against Egypt, Argentina found themselves trailing. Messi’s penalty attempt would have leveled the score, but his miss contributed to heightened anxiety. Despite being two goals down with 10 minutes remaining, Messi assisted Romero for a goal, scored an equalizer, and then collapsed to the ground as Enzo Fernandez secured the win in the 93rd minute, prompting another emotional reaction from Messi.

Towards the end of a match, Mbappe signaled for a substitution due to a minor ankle issue, which was described as a precautionary measure. He later celebrated at full-time, indicating the issue was not severe. Both players are aiming for a second World Cup, and their performances are expected to continue to engage audiences for at least another week.

Source: nytimes.com

Mason Reed

Sports reporter covering football, basketball and international competitions.