Kylian Mbappé speaks on Messi's goals and his place between Leo and Cristiano Ronaldo

Kylian Mbappé has lauded Lionel Messi, describing the Argentine superstar as "the best" in the world, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappé, who recently became France's all-time leading scorer, watched Messi's spectacular hat-trick against Algeria and acknowledged his consistent brilliance.

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I knew Leo Messi was going to score goals… he always scores! I was watching the match against Algeria and his hat-trick was spectacular. He shows in every game why he remains the best.

"I knew Leo Messi was going to score goals… he always scores! I was watching the match against Algeria and his hat-trick was spectacular. He shows in every game why he remains the best," Mbappé stated. Reflecting on his time playing with Messi at Paris Saint-Germain, he added, "One day I will tell my children that I played on the same team as Messi." Mbappé is now focused on scoring goals to help France advance in the World Cup and aims to close the gap on Messi's World Cup scoring record.

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One day I will tell my children that I played on the same team as Messi.

Mbappé is on the cusp of a significant milestone, preparing to play his 100th international match for France against Iraq in Philadelphia. Despite the personal achievement, the French forward emphasized that the team's result will be the most important factor. "It's always a pleasure to play for the national team; there is nothing greater than the national team. It's a historic number, especially in the World Cup. It will be special, but the result will be the most important thing," he said.

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It will be important to focus on ourselves and nothing else, I am sure we can have a great result.

France's upcoming opponent, Iraq, is aware of the challenge posed by Mbappé. Iraq's coach, Graham Arnold, humorously suggested they might need three goalkeepers to stop him. Mbappé, however, remains focused on imposing France's style of play, regardless of his position on the field. He has played as a winger and now as a central striker, asserting that his role is less important than creating opportunities and overcoming adversity for the team.

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It's always a pleasure to play for the national team; there is nothing greater than the national team. It's a historic number, especially in the World Cup. It will be special, but the result will be the most important thing.