Some athletes perform at a high level. Kylian Mbappé performs at a level that rewrites the record books while simultaneously moving financial markets. As of early July 2026, the Real Madrid forward and France captain is one win away from becoming the first player in history to appear in three consecutive FIFA World Cup finals, pending a semifinal result against Spain.
He has scored six goals in four matches at this tournament, tying Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot lead. He has also set an all-time record for most goals scored across World Cup knockout-stage matches, surpassing ten. At 27, he is somehow still accelerating.
The numbers behind the run
A significant part of that story is the partnership between Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, who have combined for 13 goals between them at this tournament. For context, the research draws a comparison to Ronaldo and Rivaldo from Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning campaign, which is not a comparison made lightly.
France’s earlier fan scrutiny has shifted to broad support as the wins stacked up. There is also the matter of fitness monitoring, which has been an ongoing subplot, with Mbappé’s fitness tracked closely by team staff throughout the run.
