All posts tagged: Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe pips Messi in Golden Boot race, breaks knockout record

Mbappe pips Messi in Golden Boot race, breaks knockout record

Published by Webster

2 min readJul 1, 2026 08:26 AM IST FIFA World Cup 2026 Leading Goal-scorers: Kylian Mbappe continued his sensational World Cup goal-scoring form as France routed Sweden 3-0 in the Round of 32 match on Tuesday night. Mbappe secured a brace as France proceeded to the Round of 16, where they will face Paraguay on July 5. The French captain, who is featuring in his third World Cup, shattered the all-time knockout goals record, securing nine goals in as many appearances at the World Cup. Mbappe is also breathing down Argentina superstar Lionel Messi’s neck on the all-time World Cup goal-scoring charts as he stormed to his 18th goal in as many appearances in the tournament, only one behind Messi’s tally of 19 across six editions. ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup: Kylian Mbappe, France make it Didier Deschamps’ night “I’m very aware of who I am, how I play, what I shall do, but it’s not just about me,” Mbappé said through a translator. “The entire team is aware of what should be done. It …

How Mbappe, Dembele, Doue, Olise are crushing opponents

How Mbappe, Dembele, Doue, Olise are crushing opponents

Published by Webster

Before the 1984 European Championship, the French manager Michel Hidalgo had a problem. He had four virtuosic playmakers, but not a centre forward. An idea was born, he made a midfield square with his gifted playmakers, helmed by the impeccable Michel Platini. It came to be known as magic square, or the Le Carre Magique, and they inspired their maiden championship triumph of note. Decades later, Hidalgo’s distant successor Didier Deschamps – whose France beat Norway 4-1 to top World Cup Group I – had a problem, too. He had a superfluity of riches that he couldn’t configure the perfect deception code. Both, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, were wingmen repositioned to the centre by their clubs with staggering success. But he could slot only one. He could drop Mbappe or shunt him to the left for Dembele; he could not bench Dembele, the reigning footballer of the year, either. ALSO READ | The Ousmane Dembele show: The art of minimalism and scoring goals The confusion did not end there. He had two exceptionally versatile …

The Ousmane Dembele show: The art of minimalism and scoring goals | Football News

The Ousmane Dembele show: The art of minimalism and scoring goals | Football News

Published by Webster

A step to his left; a nudge further to his left, a pause, a swing of his left-foot, and just like that, Ousmane Dembele scored the most frictionless hat-trick in a World Cup. It took just three shots for three goals, and when he struck the third, the clock had just passed 32 minutes. The build-up was all about his strike partner Kylian Mbappe and his match-up with Erling Haaland. But Dembele, his expressions as languidly minimalistic as his movements, offered a gentle reminder that the Ballon d’Or, after all, is safely secure in his shelf, in the 4-1 thrashing of Norway. He might not have the aura of Mbappe or the hype of Haaland; the 29-year-old was a later bloomer that almost did not bloom; he was a figure of petulance past managers dreaded to handle, though none disputed his ridiculous abilities. He is two-footed, tricksy, quick and inventive; he presses intensely, his off-the-ball output is incredible. It’s just that his long, and sometimes frustrating, maturation period, had made him something of a second …

France’s World Cup stars pay tribute to head coach Deschamps’ late mother

France’s World Cup stars pay tribute to head coach Deschamps’ late mother

Published by Webster

2 min readJun 24, 2026 04:43 PM IST France will be without their head coach Dider Deschamps on the touchline for their final 2026 FIFA World Cup group game against Norway as the latter has returned back home to attend the funeral of his mother, who died on Tuesday. The French Football Federation (FFF) made the announcement in a statement on their X account and later posted a video of the team and the coaching staff paying tribute before starting their training session. “The national team coach had the sorrow, this Tuesday morning, of learning of the death of his mother. He will return to France to attend her funeral,” the FFF said. The federation further said that the team will be led by Deschamps’ assistant Guy Stephan in his absence. Moment de recueillement avant la séance. Nous sommes tous avec vous, coach 💙 pic.twitter.com/lmtScxGOpD — Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) June 24, 2026 “In agreement with Philippe Diallo, the president of the French Football Federation, who is present at the France team’s base camp …

Will Cristiano Ronaldo start in Uzbekistan match? Portugal coach refuses to answer

Will Cristiano Ronaldo start in Uzbekistan match? Portugal coach refuses to answer

Published by Webster

3 min readJun 23, 2026 11:10 AM IST The pressure on Cristiano Ronaldo to perform has been heightened after his long-time rival Lionel Messi backed up his first-round hat-trick for Argentina with a brace against Austria on Monday night. Young stars Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland also showed up with braces of their own for France and Norway, respectively, as they qualified for the Round of 32 on Tuesday. Portugal and Ronaldo have been, however, under fire after their repid start with a 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their Group K opener last week. The 41-year-old will be under the spotlight when Portugal take on Uzbekistan on Tuesday night in Houston. However, whether Ronaldo will start on the turf or off it remains under wraps as Portugal coach Roberto Martinez refused to confirm his position. “I can’t inform you about the starting 11 because I haven’t informed my players,” Martínez said Monday when asked if Ronaldo would remain in the lineup. ALSO READ | Messi, Mbappe may be the superstars but Haaland is fast …

Who is Michael Olise – Mbappé’s wingman, as French captain chases Messi’s goal count

Who is Michael Olise – Mbappé’s wingman, as French captain chases Messi’s goal count

Published by Webster

5 min readJun 23, 2026 09:00 AM IST There are 75 players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup who are born in France – representing around 10 nations. Michael Olise, the lynchpin of the French attack, the puppeteer pulling the strings from the right wing, while setting up Kylian Mbappé’s strikes – isn’t one. Olise was born in London. He has been called the ‘today and tomorrow’ of French football by Mbappé, after his assists first helped France steady early nerves and a ponderous first half against Senegal, when the French captain finally scored. Against Iraq in a rain-drenched game, Olise was quicker to get France going, when his pinpoint service to Mbappé took his captain to 15 World Cup goals in his 100th match. Roving on the right, well out of the defensive unit’s peripheral sights, Olise kept pinging in precise passes that the French forwards could convert, with Dembele receiving an Olise assist and scoring the French third in a 3-0 win. ALSO READ | Mbappé approaching Messi’s 18-goal record in World Cup’s …

Lionel Messi’s final World Cup miracle? He has the magic, Argentina the belief: Together, they dream again

Lionel Messi’s final World Cup miracle? He has the magic, Argentina the belief: Together, they dream again

Published by Parlour News

Lionel Messi continues to be the point of difference, and he is inevitable. At almost 39 years of age, Messi continues to leave opponents searching for answers. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is not just adding more records to his name; he is rewriting the history books and making sure the next generation of superstars, including Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland, will have to work even harder to reach the heights he has already achieved. Records are meant to be broken in every sport, but sometimes it is about who breaks them and when they do it. For Messi to continue reaching these milestones at this stage of his career is a reflection of his greatness, his unbelievable longevity, and the unpredictable beauty of football, which makes it unlike any other sport. Lionel Messi is carrying the Argentina team once again on his back. (AP) With his brace against Austria, Messi took his World Cup goal tally to 18, becoming the highest scorer in the tournament’s history. The night began with a rare …

Mbappé approaching Messi’s 18 goal record in World Cup’s leaderboard charge

Mbappé approaching Messi’s 18 goal record in World Cup’s leaderboard charge

Published by Webster

4 min readUpdated: Jun 23, 2026 07:21 AM IST ‘A heavy thunderstorm is approaching’ – read the giant scoreboard at the Lincoln Financial in Philadelphia as fat raindrops pelted down in the France-Iraq game. For those football-inclined, it was on ominous warning of Kylian Mbappé chasing down the all-time scoring record that was claimed by Lionel Messi only a couple of hours ago, as he went past Miroslav Klose’s 16 to reach 18. Mbappé, at age 27 had reached 16 by the time France defeated Iraq 3-0, scoring his first two on either side of lightning and rain that forced fans onto the concourses, when it was evident a flimsy poncho was not going to be enough. Messi turns 39 and will celebrate it with 5 goals from his 2026 games. But a thunderstorm is indeed approaching, as the fluid, feisty, full of flair, fearsome French forwardline led by Mbappé are blasting off bangers of their own, come rain or storm. ALSO READ | Record-breaking Lionel Messi’s longevity is truly remarkable His first came off …

France vs Iraq, FIFA World Cup 2026 Live Score: World Cup Match Today FRA vs IRQ

France vs Iraq, FIFA World Cup 2026 Live Score: World Cup Match Today FRA vs IRQ

Published by Webster

France vs Iraq FIFA World Cup 2026 Live Score: FRA take on IRQ in Philadelphia. (AP) FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Today Live Score: Kylian Mbappe. who scored a brace in France’s opening match against Senegal, will be back in action for the 2-time world champions as the Les Blues take on Iraq at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Monday night. Mbappe and France, who were in general kept quiet by the Senegalese in the first half, burst into life in the second, with the Real Madrid player slamming two goals in the 66th and 90th minute while Bradley Barcola added another in the 82md minute. Ibrahim Mbaye also relied with one for Senegal but the African team ultimately went down 3-1. Story continues below this ad Iraq, meanwhile, are metaphorically coming out of the frying pan and into the fire with the Asian team facing France after a debilitating loss to Norway where they were thrashed 4-1. Erling Haaland had grabbed a brace while Leo Ostigard chipped in with one. The last …