Mbappe, Deschamps break World Cup records in Sweden thrashing

With his fifth and sixth goals at the tournament, Mbappe pulls even with Messi in the Golden Boot race.

Kylian Mbappe and Didier Deschamps reached new FIFA World Cup milestones as the captain and coach guided France to an easy 3-0 win over Sweden in East Rutherford and entered, unsurprisingly, the round of 16.

Mbappe opened the scoring on Tuesday in the 45th minute, cutting in from the left and driving a fierce shot inside the far post. Michael Olise turned provider eight minutes into the second half, threading a pass through for Bradley Barcola, who fired into the top corner to double the lead.

The French captain sealed the win in the 74th minute, racing onto another incisive Olise pass to beat the offside trap and curl a first-time effort beyond the keeper.

Mbappe now tops the list of most goals, 10, in the World Cup’s knockout stage, eclipsing Brazilian duo Leonidas and Ronaldo, with eight each.

The Frenchman’s fifth and sixth goals of this year’s tournament pulled him level with 39-year-old Messi in the race for the Golden Boot.

It was Mbappe’s 18th goal in 18 World Cup games, putting him just one behind Lionel Messi’s all-time scoring record, achieved last week when Argentina defeated Austria.

The two captains have been passing the record among themselves all tournament. Mbappe topped the charts when his brace helped France beat Senegal 3-1 in their opener, moving to 15 World Cup goals at the time, while Messi had 13.

The Argentinian icon had equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time mark of 16 World Cup goals by hitting a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria to open the South American nation’s title defence in North America earlier this month.

Deschamps, 57, extended his record for most World Cup wins as manager, as Tuesday’s victory took the tally to 18. He eclipsed Helmut Schon’s record of 17 when France handed Norway a 4-1 humbling last week, although in absentia, since he flew back to France for his mother’s funeral.

His side will next play on Saturday in Philadelphia against Paraguay, who shocked four-time champions Germany on penalties following a 1-1 draw on Monday in Foxborough.