Kylian Mbappé Eyes World Cup Glory After France's Victory Over Sweden
Kylian Mbappé walked off the pitch on Tuesday night with the match ball tucked under his arm and another World Cup record almost within reach. Almost.
France had just dismantled Sweden 3-0 in the round of 32, Mbappé scoring twice to move to 18 World Cup goals in 18 games – one behind Lionel Messi’s all-time mark of 19. He also climbed level with the Argentine at the top of this tournament’s scoring chart on six.
The numbers are staggering. He treats them like background noise.
“The goal… is to go as far as possible – to make it to July 19th and come back here,” he said, eyes already fixed on New York and the final rather than the record books.
This is the paradox of Mbappé in a World Cup: a player rewriting history while insisting the only line that matters is the one that ends with a trophy. He knows how the scoring ladder works. He just refuses to stare at it.
“We’re trying to win; we’re taking it one step at a time,” he said. “Of course, the more goals you score, the higher you climb in the rankings – I’m not telling anyone anything new there.
“But I’m also convinced that Leo is going to score more goals, so I don’t focus too much on that. I’m more focused on the opponents we might face and how close we’re getting to our goal: the final.”
Messi and Argentina will be heavy favourites when they meet Cape Verde in the last 32 on Friday. Mbappé’s next stop is far less glamorous: a bruising date with Paraguay in Philadelphia for a place in the quarter-finals, and then, potentially, a clash with co-hosts Canada or a rugged Morocco side.
Paraguay, though, are the team nobody wants to see right now.
They dragged Germany into a trench war on Monday, defended with ten behind the ball, and then kicked the four-time world champions out of the tournament on penalties. It was ugly. It was effective. It will be more of the same against France.
There will be no illusions in the French camp about what awaits them.
“I think we’ll keep working between now and the Paraguay match to see what we can improve, because there are still some sequences that aren't quite clear enough, there’s room for improvement,” Mbappé said.
He knows this France side can overwhelm opponents with a single surge. He also knows patience will matter just as much as pace.
“Still, I think it’s positive overall, and our ability to score goals means we always have the chance to take the lead in matches.”
France have the firepower. Paraguay have the spoilers’ script. Somewhere between those two, a quarter-final place will be decided.
Belgium step out of the shadows – and into a trap game
While Mbappé chases a final, Belgium are chasing redemption.
Four years ago, they crashed out in the group stage in Qatar, a brutal comedown after their bronze-medal run at Russia 2018. This time, they have at least cleared that low bar. Top of Group G. A 5-1 demolition of New Zealand. A place in the knockouts secured with one win and two draws.
For coach Rudi Garcia, that was the first job done.
“We wanted to finish first in the group stage and we succeeded,” he said in French. “Of course we wanted to win more — we know the story of our World Cup so far. Now it is time for the knockout phase. Senegal is a big team. But, you have to beat them, too, if you want to go far in a World Cup.”
He’s right about Senegal. The African champions finished only third in Group I, but that barely tells the story. They fought their way through one of the tournament’s nastiest pools, sharing the stage with France and an Erling Haaland-led Norway, and still emerged with three points and a plus-2 goal difference.
Belgium might be the favourites on paper. The players are not behaving like it.
“We know it will be a tough match,” Romelu Lukaku said in French. “Senegal has a lot of top-level players, and the coach is, too. I think it’s 50-50. We really shouldn’t underestimate them.”
Then Monday night happened.
Germany fell to Paraguay on penalties. Morocco bundled the Netherlands out in the round of 32, sending another European heavyweight home far earlier than expected. Any lingering complacency vanished with them.
“It doesn’t matter who the favorite is,” said forward Charles De Ketelaere. “We have confidence and need to be sharp. Yesterday showed that it doesn’t matter if you are the favorite.”
The warning signs are everywhere. Belgium have seen them. Whether they act on them is another matter.
They come into the tie with a defence that has quietly impressed. Just two goals conceded in three matches, anchored by Thibaut Courtois, who looks as commanding as ever. That back line will now be asked to deal with a Senegal attack that just smashed Iraq 5-0 and is led, as always, by Sadio Mané.
Senegal’s problem lies at the other end.
Goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, injured in a 3-2 defeat to Norway in the group stage, will not feature. Coach Pape Thiaw confirmed he is out, which means Mory Diaw, the reserve who kept a clean sheet against Iraq, is set for another start.
“Mory had a great performance,” Thiaw said in French. “He kept a clean sheet and I think (as) the goalkeeper tomorrow, we hope that we’ll also come up with a clean sheet.”
Hope is not a tactic, but belief can be a weapon. Thiaw has plenty of it.
“It’s not because you finished top of your group that you’re not going to be knocked out in the next round,” he said. “That’s exactly what happened with the Netherlands. It’s another tournament starting. We are looking for the win tomorrow so that we can continue our journey.”
Belgium will at least have more depth at the back. Center back Zeno Debast, sidelined all summer with a left leg injury, is finally available again. He trained with the group on Monday after an MRI on Saturday and took part again on Tuesday, his left knee taped.
Garcia, though, is not about to rush him.
“Zeno Debast is with the group, but tomorrow is still too soon,” he said. “He is making progress, though. He still needs time to get fully fit, as was anticipated. I am very satisfied with the defenders we have already called upon.”
So Belgium enter the knockout phase with their reputation repaired, but not yet restored. France stride on with a generational forward hunting a record he claims not to care about.
The World Cup rarely grants second chances. Belgium and Mbappé both have one in front of them now. What they do with it will shape the rest of this summer.
