Kylian Mbappé is leading France at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and, on Monday (Tuesday IST), during France’s second Group I match of the ongoing tournament in North America, he equalled Ronaldo’s record of scoring 15 goals across just three FIFA World Cup editions.
Former Brazil striker Ronaldo scored 15 goals in three FIFA World Cup editions (1998, 2002 and 2006), and by netting France’s first goal against Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Mbappé matched that feat.
Mbappé, who made his FIFA World Cup debut for France against Australia at Kazan Arena in Kazan on June 16, 2018, needed only 16 matches to score 15 World Cup goals, whereas Ronaldo reached the milestone in his 18th appearance.
Kylian Mbappe’s goals in FIFA World Cup
| GOAL | AGAINST | VENUE | DATE |
| 1 | Peru | Ekaterinburg Arena, Yekaterinburg | June 21, 2018 |
| 2 | Argentina | Kazan Arena, Kazan | June 30, 2018 |
| 3 | Argentina | Kazan Arena, Kazan | June 30, 2018 |
| 4 | Croatia | Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow | July 15, 2018 |
| 5 | Australia | Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah | November 22, 2022 |
| 6 | Denmark | Stadium 974, Doha | November 26, 2022 |
| 7 | Denmark | Stadium 974, Doha | November 26, 2022 |
| 8 | Poland | Al Thumama Stadium, Doha | December 4, 2022 |
| 9 | Poland | Al Thumama Stadium, Doha | December 4, 2022 |
| 10 | Argentina | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 18, 2022 |
| 11 | Argentina | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 18, 2022 |
| 12 | Argentina | Lusail Stadium, Lusail | December 18, 2022 |
| 13 | Senegal | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford | June 16, 2026 |
| 14 | Senegal | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford | June 16, 2026 |
| 15 | Iraq | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia | June 22, 2026 |
Only two
players — Lionel Messi and Miroslav Klose — have scored more goals in FIFA World Cup history. Messi tops the list with 18 goals in 28 matches for Argentina, while Klose scored 16 goals in 24 matches for Germany across four editions.
Most goals in FIFA World Cup
| POSITION | PLAYER | COUNTRY | MATCHES | GOALS | EDITIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 28 | 18 | 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 2. | Miroslav Klose | Germany | 24 | 16 | 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 |
| =3. | Ronaldo | Brazil | 19 | 15 | 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 |
| =3. | Kylian Mbappe | France | 16* | 15* | 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| 5. | Gerd Müller | West Germany | 13 | 14 | 1970, 1974 |
| 6. | Just Fontaine | France | 6 | 13 | 1958 |
| 7. | Pele | Brazil | 14 | 12 | 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 |
| =8. | Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 5 | 11 | 1954 |
| =8. | Jürgen Klinsmann | West Germany/Germany | 17 | 11 | 1990, 1994, 1998 |
Messi scored his 15th World Cup goal during his sixth edition of the tournament, while Klose reached the landmark in his fourth FIFA World Cup campaign for Germany.
If Mbappé scores at least one more goal in the ongoing match, he will become the first Frenchman and only the fourth player in history to score multiple goals in three consecutive FIFA World Cup matches.
Mbappé scored a hat-trick in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina and netted twice against Senegal in France’s opening match of the 2026 edition.
Before him, only Argentina’s Guillermo Stábile, Hungary striker Sándor Kocsis and Lionel Messi had managed to score multiple goals in three consecutive FIFA World Cup matches.
While Stábile achieved the feat in the inaugural 1930 edition, Kocsis scored at least two goals in four consecutive matches at the 1954 FIFA World Cup, and Messi accomplished the feat across two editions of the tournament.
