FIFA World CUp 2026: Mbappé powers France into the quarters
France’s star striker Kylian Mbappé continues his stellar performance at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Powered by Mbappé, France defeated Paraguay 1-0 to secure a spot in the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive time. In the match played on Sunday, July 5, at Philadelphia Stadium amidst scorching heat, Mbappé scored the game’s only goal via a penalty, leading his team to victory.
In a match played in temperatures hovering around 38°C, Paraguay successfully denied France any scoring opportunities for a long period. However, in the 70th minute, France was awarded a penalty following a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) intervention. After a foul was called against Paraguay’s Diego Gómez, Mbappé converted the penalty.
This marked Kylian Mbappé’s 19th goal in the FIFA World Cup. Remarkably, he achieved this feat in just 19 matches. He is now trailing Lionel Messi (20 goals) by just one goal. Argentina’s captain and legendary footballer Messi holds the current record for the most goals scored in the FIFA World Cup.
Leading the Race for the Golden Boot
He has scored seven goals so far in this World Cup and is at the top of the race for the Golden Boot. Lionel Messi has also scored seven goals, but Mbappé has additionally provided two assists in this tournament. Mbappé won the Golden Boot at the World Cup held in Qatar four years ago, though Messi-led Argentina defeated France in the final to claim the title.
