Mbappe World Cup goals: How many does the Frenchman need to overtake Lionel Messi?

Kylian Mbappe is on track to becoming the World Cup's greatest ever player, having made it to two successful finals with France at the tournament.

The Frenchman has bagged four World Cup final goals, the most of any player ever, and won the 2022 edition's Golden Boot.

During Argentina vs Austria, Lionel Messi became the tournament's highest goalscorer of all time, but how close is Mbappe to him?

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How many World Cup goals does Kylian Mbappe need to overtake Lionel Messi?

Kylian Mbappe is already World Cup royalty, but how close is he to becoming the tournament's all-time leading scorer? (Image credit: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

If the Frenchman is indeed to go down as the greatest World Cup player ever, his rivalry with Messi is an integral part of the story.

Mbappe delivered perhaps the greatest performance from a player on the losing side against Argentina in 2022, but, four years prior, he was the standout for France in their 4-3 victory over Messi's side en-route to their 2018 victory.

Mbappe has a whopping FOUR World Cup final goals, the most ever. (Image credit: Getty Images)

With Messi's brace vs Austria, two glorious, but typical, strikes slotted into the net, he bagged his 17th and 18th World Cup goals.

That number took him above the previous record holder, Germany's Miroslav Klose, who hit 16 for his national side.

Prior to Klose, the record was held by Ronaldo Nazario with 15, standing from 2006 to 2014.

Before that, Gerd Muller held the record with 14 for almost three decades, but Messi's current record could last for just three games.

Mbappe has 14 goals for France at the tournament, and recently bagged a brace vs Senegal to put him tied fourth in the all-time table.

Gerd Muller held the record with 14 for almost three decades, the same number of goals as Kylian Mbappe has now. (Image credit: Alamy)

Mbappe is the only active player in the Top 10 World Cup goalscorers of all time, except for England's Harry Kane with 10 strikes in tenth.

The Frenchman will take on Iraq, who conceded four to Norway, in tonight's Group I game, before taking on the Erling Haaland-led national side on Friday.

Beyond the all-time scoring race, Messi has taken a three goal lead over the Frenchman in the hunt for the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot.

If Mbappe can replicate his brace against Senegal in those two games, and hope for an already qualified Argentina to slow down and perhaps rest Messi, then the Frenchman could be in business.