As Argentina prepares for its World Cup quarterfinal against Switzerland, one of the tournament’s most fascinating individual races is beginning to take shape.
Can Lionel Messi—or Kylian Mbappé—break one of the most enduring scoring records in World Cup history?
Messi enters Argentina’s quarterfinal with eight goals, tied with France captain Kylian Mbappé at the top of the tournament’s scoring chart. Mbappé reached eight after scoring in France’s 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Morocco.
The two superstars are now chasing a record that has survived for nearly seven decades.
French striker Just Fontaine scored an astonishing 13 goals in only six matches during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. France finished third, but Fontaine’s remarkable scoring total remains the record for the most goals by one player in a single World Cup.
Messi is five goals away from matching Fontaine and six away from breaking the record. Should Argentina defeat Switzerland and advance all the way to the final, the Argentine captain could have as many as three matches remaining.
Mbappé also remains firmly in the race. France has already qualified for the semifinals, guaranteeing him at least two more matches—the semifinal and either the final or third-place playoff.
Breaking Fontaine’s record remains an enormous challenge. However, both Messi and Mbappé have demonstrated throughout this tournament that one explosive performance could dramatically change the equation.
The race also adds another layer of intrigue to the battle for the Golden Boot. Although the two players are tied on eight goals, Mbappé currently holds the advantage because he has recorded more assists.
For Messi, the pursuit comes as Argentina seeks to win a second consecutive World Cup title. For Mbappé, it represents another opportunity to strengthen a résumé already filled with historic World Cup achievements.
With Fontaine’s 13-goal mark now only five goals away, what once appeared untouchable is suddenly within sight.
Can Messi or Mbappé produce enough goals in the remaining matches to equal or surpass Just Fontaine’s legendary record?
