France coach Didier Deschamps backs Kylian Mbappe to break World Cup scoring record
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
France coach Didier Deschamps giving Kylian Mbappe a pat on the back as the French two-goal hero was substituted during their 3-0 World Cup win over Iraq on June 22.
PHOTO: REUTERS
PHILADELPHIA – France coach Didier Deschamps suggests Kylian Mbappe will eventually claim the all-time World Cup goals record, after the 27-year-old striker scored his second double of the tournament in the 3-0 win over Iraq on June 22.
His third and fourth goals of the 2026 edition pulled him level with Germany’s former record holder Miroslav Klose on 16 career goals at the global showpiece.
The Frenchman is now two goals behind Lionel Messi, who has already scored five in this tournament despite turning 39 on June 24 after his brace against Austria earlier on June 22.
“Well, records are there to be broken,” Deschamps, 57, said in the post-match press conference. “And now he has a symbolic figure. He has 100 caps. He’s always scored goals. He will score more goals.
“Take Messi, take (Cristiano) Ronaldo. I’m not sure that Kylian will play up to their age, but as long as he’s on the pitch and as he feels right, he will score a lot of goals.
“Every time he beats his own record, he does have the capacity to up his ante.”
Mbappe, meanwhile, said he was not paying too much attention to World Cup scoring records.
“Leo always scores goals and always will. So I am not looking at what he is doing, I’m just focusing on helping my team,” he said. “I think it is important to focus on the collective at the moment.
“I have always scored goals at the World Cup, but the priority is to be at our best as a team. You need to beat the best teams to win a World Cup so it’s going to be very difficult.”
Mbappe’s latest double was perhaps his most unusual, with the goals coming nearly three hours apart in the first match beset by a lengthy weather delay at this tournament.
What did France do during the delay?
“We played cards,” Deschamps quipped.
“No, well, we were waiting. And what is most important with my... colleague (Iraq coach) Graham (Arnold) is to have the 20 minutes to do another warmup, to not take any risks.
“There was a lot of rain that made the pitch very heavy. It was the first time that it happened to me. Same for my players.”
He admitted the ordeal was frustrating, but also felt there was little anyone could have done differently.
“I was actually having a good time with the players. We’re making fun. You know, it’s a question of safety and it’s just the way it is. You cannot fight against rain and lightning when there is a risk.
“It’s almost early morning in Europe, well, these are very special circumstances and I do hope that they will not happen again.”
As for the other goalscorer, Ousmane Dembele, Deschamps hoped the reigning Ballon d'Or winner was just getting started after his first strike of the tournament.
“Be easy on Ousmane,” he said. “There’s no issue with Ousmane. He also needs to re-adapt to a system in which he doesn’t play throughout the year.
“As long as Ousmane is well physically, and this is the case, then it’s just fine-tuning. I trust in Ousmane. He knows that. And he’s not somebody who doubts and doing what he did today, it’s important because he’s a decisive player.”
REUTERS, AFP
