Mbappe Scores 8th Goal, Equals Messi For Tournament Lead

Foxborough: Kylian Mbappé is keeping pace with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot at the World Cup.

Mbappé made up for the penalty he missed in the first half of France’s quarter-final match against Morocco on Friday with a goal in the 60th minute. It was his eighth goal of the tournament; He was tied with Messi for the tournament lead and one ahead of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland.

Norway will play England in the quarter-finals on Sunday and Messi will lead Argentina against Switzerland later the same day.

Ousmane Dembélé scored six minutes later to give France a 2–0 lead. Mbappé was sent off in the 77th minute and as he walked off the field, he turned to the Gillette Stadium fans and waved with both hands.

Mbappé also scored 20 goals in 20 matches, placing him one behind Messi on the all-time World Cup goalscoring list. Messi scored 21 goals in 31 World Cup matches in six tournaments in his career, breaking German striker Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 goals.