Kylian Mbappé Eyes World Cup Final as Belgium Prepares for Senegal Clash
Kylian Mbappé is chasing Lionel Messi, but not in the way you might think.
The French captain is now one goal shy of Messi’s all-time World Cup record of 19, his double in a ruthless 3-0 dismantling of Sweden in the round of 32 dragging him to 18 goals in 18 games on this stage. He also sits level with the Argentine at the top of this tournament’s scoring charts on six.
Yet his eyes are fixed on something else entirely: New York, July 19, the World Cup final.
“The goal is to go as far as possible – to make it to July 19th and come back here,” he told reporters, a few minutes after Sweden had been swept aside and France had eased into the last 16. The numbers, the records, the headlines? They are background noise to the target he keeps repeating: the final.
France are building up a head of steam. Sweden were brushed away with a clinical edge that has become Mbappé’s trademark, Les Bleus hitting three without reply and rarely shifting out of third gear. With every strike, Mbappé climbs higher in World Cup folklore.
He knows exactly what that means.
“The more goals you score, the higher you climb in the rankings – I’m not telling anyone anything new there,” he said. But then came the twist that reveals where his mind truly is. “I’m also convinced that Leo is going to score more goals, so I don’t focus too much on that. I’m more focused on the opponents we might face and how close we’re getting to our goal: the final.”
Messi’s Argentina now meet Cape Verde in the last 32, a tie they are expected to control. France, meanwhile, head to Philadelphia for what looks a very different sort of contest against Paraguay.
A defensive wall awaits.
Paraguay showed their hand against Germany, dragging the four-time world champions into a grim, attritional battle and then kicking them out of the tournament on penalties. They sat deep, they suffered, and they survived. No one expects them to suddenly open up against Mbappé and company.
France know that. Mbappé certainly does.
“I think we’ll keep working between now and the Paraguay match to see what we can improve, because there are still some sequences that aren't quite clear enough, there’s room for improvement,” he said. He sounded satisfied but not seduced by the scoreline. “Still, I think it’s positive overall, and our ability to score goals means we always have the chance to take the lead in matches.”
That ability to strike first, to dictate, could be crucial against a Paraguay side that will happily turn the game into a siege.
If Mbappé’s story is about a superstar hunting history while pretending not to look, Belgium’s is about a fallen giant trying to remember how it felt to matter in the latter stages of a World Cup.
After the golden glow of third place in Russia in 2018, came the cold crash in Qatar four years later: out in the group stage, questions swirling about a generation that looked spent. This time, under Rudi Garcia, they have at least taken the first step back towards respectability.
Belgium topped Group G and did it with a flourish, smashing New Zealand 5-1 on Friday night to win the section. One win, two draws, job done. Garcia had set a simple target for the opening phase and his players hit it.
“We wanted to finish first in the group stage and we succeeded,” he said in French. “Of course we wanted to win more — we know the story of our World Cup so far. Now it is time for the knockout phase. Senegal is a big team. But, you have to beat them, too, if you want to go far in a World Cup.”
The message was clear: satisfaction, but no illusions.
Senegal await in the round of 32 on Wednesday, a side that finished third in Group I with three points and a plus-2 goal difference, but one that emerged from one of the tournament’s most unforgiving pools, sharing it with France and Erling Haaland’s Norway. The numbers don’t shout, but the context does.
Romelu Lukaku, speaking on Monday, cut through any complacency.
“We know it will be a tough match,” the striker said in French. “Senegal has a lot of top-level players, and the coach is, too. I think it’s 50-50. We really shouldn’t underestimate them.”
Events elsewhere underlined his point in brutal fashion.
Germany, one of the traditional powers, were dragged into the mire by Paraguay and dumped out on penalties. Morocco then sent the Netherlands spinning to their earliest World Cup exit. Two shocks, back-to-back, and a loud warning to anyone tempted to glance too far ahead.
Belgium heard it.
“It doesn’t matter who the favorite is,” said forward Charles De Ketelaere. “We have confidence and need to be sharp. Yesterday showed that it doesn’t matter if you are the favorite.”
Their caution is rooted in more than just Monday night’s chaos. This is a Belgium side still trying to reforge its identity, but they do have one major pillar in place: Thibaut Courtois. With the towering goalkeeper back to his commanding best, Belgium have conceded only two goals in three games. That defensive platform gives them something they lacked in Qatar: a sense of control.
Senegal will test it.
They arrive off the back of a 5-0 demolition of Iraq, Sadio Mané leading an attack that can punish the slightest lapse. They believe they can hurt Belgium. They also believe they can stop them, even without their first-choice goalkeeper.
Édouard Mendy, injured in a wild 3-2 defeat to Norway in the group stage, has been ruled out for Wednesday by coach Pape Thiaw. The gloves will again pass to Mory Diaw, who started in the rout of Iraq and impressed.
“Mory had a great performance,” Thiaw said in French. “He kept a clean sheet and I think (as) the goalkeeper tomorrow, we hope that we’ll also come up with a clean sheet.”
There was no hint of anxiety in his voice. Thiaw spoke like a man who had spent Monday night taking notes on Paraguay and Morocco, not shaking his head at upsets.
“It’s not because you finished top of your group that you’re not going to be knocked out in the next round,” he said. “That’s exactly what happened with the Netherlands. It’s another tournament starting. We are looking for the win tomorrow so that we can continue our journey.”
For Belgium, there is at least one small boost on the personnel front. Center back Zeno Debast, who has yet to play a minute at this World Cup because of a left leg injury, is back in full training. He took part on Monday after undergoing an MRI on Saturday and worked again on Tuesday, his left knee strapped.
Garcia, though, is not about to gamble.
“Zeno Debast is with the group, but tomorrow is still too soon,” the coach said. “He is making progress, though. He still needs time to get fully fit, as was anticipated. I am very satisfied with the defenders we have already called upon.”
So Belgium will go into a hazardous tie with a settled back line, a world-class goalkeeper, and a recent history that tells them nothing is guaranteed. Senegal will walk out with Mané, with belief, and with the knowledge that this knockout phase already belongs to the bold.
On one side of the bracket, Mbappé chases a date with destiny in New York while trying to ignore the shadow of Messi’s record. On the other, Belgium and Senegal stare at each other across a fault line that has already swallowed Germany and the Netherlands.
The margins are thin. The stakes are not.
