The World Cup is Kylian Mbappé’s favorite stage. Deadly efficient at club level, first dazzling at Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain before joining Real Madrid, Mbappé somehow takes it to another level in the fabled blue of France—freedom and exuberance in what he’s doing key factors in his success.For years, Didier Deschamps built his swashbuckling sides around the generational superstar, who’s seldom disappointed when called upon. Whether operating on the left wing or as an out-and-out striker, Mbappé has proven unstoppable. He was just 19 years old when he laid hands on the World Cup trophy and came agonizingly close to repeating the feet nearly four years later in Qatar. Now dominating the 2026 tournament in North America, he continues to add to an astonishing tally as he hunts down the record for most goals scored in the competition. Every Kylian Mbappé Goal at the World Cup1. Mbappé vs. Peru (2018)Mbappé (R) opened his account during his second World Cup match. | JORGE GUERRERO/AFP/Getty ImagesMbappé’s first World Cup goal was hardly one of note. On just his second appearance in the competition during a group stage clash with Peru at the 2018 tournament, the Frenchman tapped home Olivier Giroud’s deflected effort from all of two yards.Still, a momentous strike for the forward—and the first of many. 2. Mbappé vs. Argentina (2018)A first of many strikes against Argentina. | SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty ImagesEn route to the title in 2018, France played out one of the World Cup’s all-time classics in the round of 16 as it beat Argentina 4–3. Mbappé scored France’s third of the match, restoring his side’s advantage by rifling a strike through the gloves of goalkeeper Franco Armani after making a yard of room in the box with a neat touch. Argentina has succumbed to Mbappé’s brilliance on multiple occasions since.3. Mbappé vs. Argentina (2018)A seven-goal thriller ended in France’s favor. | FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty ImagesOne such occasion against La Albiceleste came just four minutes later, with Mbappé switching from power to precision for France’s fourth and the ultimate winner of a seven-goal contest. Giroud was the provider, teasing a through ball beyond a ragged Argentinian defense and finding Mbappé in acres of space. The striker made no mistake as he picked out the bottom corner with aplomb. 4. Mbappé vs. Croatia (2018)Mbappé won his first World Cup as a teenager. | Matthias Hangst/Getty Images.Mbappé failed to find the net in the 2018 quarterfinal and semifinal, but there would be no blank in the showpiece event itself. As France roared to its second world title with a 4–2 win over Croatia, Mbappé produced his side’s final strike of the contest, collecting the ball 25 yards from goal and drilling a low drive into the bottom corner. The teenager had well and truly arrived as a global phenomenon and an outstanding effort in world soccer’s most prestigious fixture only underscored his burgeoning genius. 5. Mbappé vs. Australia (2022)A rare headed goal for Mbappé. | Marc Atkins/Getty ImagesMbappé is not renowned for his aerial prowess, but it was with his head he opened his account at the 2022 World Cup. An enticing delivery to the six-yard box from Ousmane Dembélé was glanced into the far corner by a leaping Mbappé, after which he would assist Giroud to put an exclamation point on France’s 4–1 thrashing of Australia in its tournament opener. 6. Mbappé vs. Denmark (2022)France began with successive wins in 2022. | Mike Egerton/PA Images/Getty ImagesAfter firing four past Australia, France found life more challenging in its second group stage fixture against Denmark. The Scandinavians had proved difficult to unpick prior to Mbappé’s lovely opener.Theo Hernández and Mbappé dovetailed beautifully down the left wing, the former feeding the latter before receiving the ball once again inside the penalty area. Hernández had the composure to cut back for his compatriot, who applied the finishing touch from close range. 7. Mbappé vs. Denmark (2022)Mbappé is always on hand to provide a clutch moment. | Stefan Matzke/sampics/Corbis/Getty ImagesDenmark’s equalizer had threatened to deny France a sixth successive World Cup victory, but Mbappé, as he so often is, was on hand to deliver an all-important winner in the 86th minute. While not as clean as his opening goal, the striker connected with Antoine Griezmann’s gorgeous far-post delivery, bundling the ball beyond Kasper Schmeichel on the goal line with his thigh. 8. Mbappé vs. Poland (2022)A stunning strike helped France to victory. | Francois Nel/Getty ImagesThe round of 16 in Qatar was the Mbappé show. The Frenchman teed up Giroud’s opening goal against Poland and was soon on the scoresheet himself after shimmying on to his preferred right boot and lazering an effort high into the roof of the net. Mbappé had shaped to curl into the far corner, but instead lashed into the near post to bamboozle Wojciech Szczęsny.9. Mbappé vs. Poland (2022)An exquisite brace for Mbappé. | Lan Hongguang/Xinhua/Getty ImagesMbappé wasn’t done there, though, rather unfortunately for Poland. The first minute of second-half stoppage time brought an equally excellent second for Mbappé, this time the Frenchman deciding to wrap the ball into the far top corner after jinking inside on to his right foot. Szczęsny was able to get the slightest of touches on the strike, but the venom with which it was hit ensured it still nestled beyond the goalkeeper. 10. Mbappé vs. Argentina (2022)Mabppé starred in an all-time World Cup final. | Michael Regan/FIFA/Getty ImagesLike in his first World Cup, Mbappé was unable to find the net at the last eight or semifinal stage in 2022, but there were inevitable heroics once the final arrived. One of the greatest matches in World Cup history was staged between Mbappé’s France and Lionel Messi’s Argentina, with both superstars stealing attention for exceptional displays. Messi had already scored to help Argentina into a two-goal lead at the halftime whistle, but Mbappé would offer Les Bleus their lifeline in the 80th minute as he calmly dispatched a penalty. 11. Mbappé vs. Argentina (2022)An inspired finish. | Alex Pantling/Getty ImagesWithin the blink of an eye, Mbappé had revived France’s World Cup dream. After converting his spot kick to reduce the deficit, Mbappé then fired home an excellent volley on the stretch just a minute later to level the score, and eventually send the match to extra time. Despite being at an awkward angle and only just inside the penalty area, Mbappé’s blend of power and finesse allowed him to breach Emiliano Martínez’s goal and set up an extraordinary finale. 12. Mbappé vs. Argentina (2022)Mbappé completed his hat trick from the spot. | Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty ImagesMessi had restored Argentina’s lead in extra time, but Mbappé refused to be outshone as he became only the second player in World Cup history to score a hat trick in the final of the competition. Mbappé once again showed courage from the spot, sending Martínez in the wrong direction and caressing his penalty into the corner. The match went to a penalty shootout in the end, during which Mbappé scored yet again, but Argentina ran out as champions at the end of a breathless clash. Mbappé really didn’t deserve to end up on the losing side. 13. Mbappé vs. Senegal (2026)Mbappé just loves the World Cup. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports IllustratedIt took Mbappé just 66 minutes of the 2026 World Cup to find himself among the goals. A tricky opener against Senegal proved tough in the early stages for Les Bleus, but a stylish second-half display led them to a crucial 3–1 victory. Mbappé, unsurprisingly, was one of their sources of inspiration, with an intelligent run picked out by Michael Olise and expertly finished past Édouard Mendy to open the scoring. 14. Mbappé vs. Senegal (2026)What more can you say? pic.twitter.com/hlxu83rSKB— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 16, 2026There was nothing graceful about Mbappé’s second against Senegal. Sometimes, you just need to put your laces through the ball. Having just seen the African giants pull a goal back, Mbappé empathically sealed victory for France less than a minute later as he leathered an extraordinary dipping strike beyond Mendy from 30 yards. An excellent brace made him France’s all-time top goalscorer. 15. Mbappé vs. Iraq (2026)Mbappé is deadly from range. | Mitchell Leff/FIFAGetty ImagesAnother World Cup match, another double for Mbappé. Iraq was always unlikely to be able to repel Mbappé for too long, but the minnows would have hoped to have lasted longer than 14 minutes in Philadelphia. There was little they could do to stop the strike, however, another forceful drive from range swerving in the air to dumbfound the goalkeeper and set France on its way to a 3–0 win. 16. Mbappé vs. Iraq (2026)Mbappé punished Iraq’s sloppy defending. | Joe Prior/Visionhaus/Getty ImagesIraq can only blame itself for Mbappé’s second, though. A terrible defensive pass gifted Dembélé the ball inside the penalty area and the Ballon d’Or winner selflessly rolled a pass across to Mbappé, who was able to slide into an unguarded net from eight yards out.A gift.17. Mbappé vs. Sweden (2026)Mbappé (R) tore Sweden apart. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports IllustratedFrance reached the last 32 of the World Cup without breaking stride and Mbappé barely had to escape second gear to twice find the net against Sweden in a first knockout match of the tournament. Having already fired several efforts directly at the goalkeeper, persistence paid dividends for the Frenchman, who waltzed past several yellow shirts inside the area before bending the ball into the corner just before halftime. Sweden was unable to handle Mbappé’s lightning quick feet. 18. Mbappé vs. Sweden (2026)Football that makes you feel alive. pic.twitter.com/FEXqM0ybN7— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 30, 2026By scoring his second against the Swedes, Mbappé bagged his sixth separate World Cup brace and his 18th goal in as many matches in the competition. On this occasion, however, it was all about the assist, as Olise’s delicate through ball engineered the space for Mbappé to effortlessly curve a strike beyond Jacob Widell Zetterström. 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