Kylian Mbappe has already established himself as a legend of the FIFA World Cup, but how close is he to becoming the tournament’s all-time top scorer?

The French forward’s journey is closely intertwined with Lionel Messi’s, with their rivalry forming one of the defining narratives of modern football. Mbappe’s hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina was one of the finest displays ever seen from a player on the losing side. Four years earlier, he was instrumental in France’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Messi’s Argentina during their triumphant 2018 campaign.

Remarkably, Mbappe has scored four goals in World Cup finals — the most by any player in the competition’s history.

After Messi’s recent double against Austria — two superb finishes that encapsulated his trademark brilliance — the Argentine captain reached a total of 18 World Cup goals.

Before Messi, the record for most World Cup goals was held by Miroslav Klose with 16, set between 2002 and 2014. Prior to Klose, Ronaldo Nazario of Brazil had held the record with 15 goals from 2006 until 2014. Going further back, Gerd Muller’s tally of 14 stood as the benchmark for nearly three decades.

Currently, Mbappe stands on 15 World Cup goals for France. His tally was recently boosted by a brace against Senegal and a precise left-footed finish against Iraq. That total matches the number of goals once held by Muller, a remarkable milestone for the French star.

Among active players, only England’s Harry Kane joins Mbappe in the top ten World Cup scorers, with 10 goals placing him tenth on the all-time list.

Next up for Mbappe and France is a clash against Norway, who recently put four past Iraq. The match will see Mbappe face off against Erling Haaland’s side this Friday.

If Mbappe can reproduce his form from the Senegal match — where he scored twice — and if Argentina, already qualified, decide to rest Messi, the Frenchman could soon be within touching distance of overtaking his Argentine rival in the all-time charts.