- Mbappé’s World Cup Heroics Draw Comparisons with Zidane and Platini
France captain Kylian Mbappé is earning widespread acclaim for another sensational FIFA World Cup campaign, with his remarkable goalscoring exploits prompting comparisons with French legends Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini.
The 27-year-old forward has been in irresistible form at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring six goals in just four matches to spearhead France’s charge into the Round of 16. His tally includes three braces, underlining his status as one of the tournament’s standout performers.
France have advanced confidently through the competition and will face Paraguay national football team in the last 16 as they continue their quest for a third World Cup title under coach Didier Deschamps.
Mbappé’s latest exploits have reignited debate over his place among France’s greatest-ever footballers. Speaking on French broadcaster RMC’s After Foot programme, football analyst Walid Acherchour argued that the Real Madrid star has already earned a place alongside Zidane and Platini in the nation’s football history.
According to Acherchour, Mbappé’s extraordinary consistency, influence and goalscoring record across three consecutive World Cups have elevated him to the same level as the two French icons.
The statistics strongly support that claim. Since making his World Cup debut in 2018, Mbappé has scored 18 goals in just 19 tournament appearances, leaving him only one goal behind the all-time World Cup scoring record currently held by Lionel Messi.
His latest strike in France’s 2-0 victory over Sweden also saw him become the leading scorer in World Cup knockout-stage history with 10 goals, further cementing his reputation as one of football’s greatest big-game players.
Mbappé has now scored seven braces in World Cup matches, another tournament record that includes his unforgettable hat-trick against Argentina in the dramatic 2022 World Cup final.
His World Cup journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. At just 19 years old, he helped France lift the 2018 World Cup, scoring four goals and finding the net in the final to win the tournament’s Best Young Player award.
Four years later in Qatar, he claimed the Golden Boot after finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals despite France’s defeat in the final.
The 2026 edition has seen him continue that incredible form. His six goals have propelled France into the knockout stages, while he also became France’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer during the group-stage victory over Senegal.
With France among the favourites to win the tournament, Mbappé appears well placed to add more goals to his remarkable tally and further strengthen his legacy.
Should he maintain his current scoring form, the French captain could not only challenge Messi’s all-time World Cup goals record but also lead Les Bleus to another global triumph, adding yet another remarkable chapter to an already glittering international career.
