What happened

Kylian Mbappe found the net twice to push his career World Cup tally to 18 goals. The brace leaves him a single goal shy of Lionel Messi, the tournament's all-time leading scorer. It was the latest installment in a relentless run of finishing that has defined Mbappe's World Cup story.

Why it matters

Catching Messi would put Mbappe atop the World Cup's most prestigious individual list, and he would arrive there at a strikingly young age. Passing a player widely regarded as the standard-bearer of his era carries lasting historical weight.

The chase has become one of the World Cup's defining storylines. Each Mbappe goal narrows a gap that once looked out of reach, turning every appearance into a referendum on the record books.

By the numbers

Mbappe now sits on 18 goals and 5 assists across 18 World Cup appearances. That output leaves him exactly one strike behind Messi for the all-time scoring record.

What to watch next

The question now is whether Mbappe equals or overtakes Messi in his next outing. Either a single goal to draw level or one more to pass the mark would crown him the World Cup's all-time leading scorer.