Messi will score more but I want the trophy, Mbappe says

Kylian Mbappe is prioritizing team success in the World Cup over personal scoring accolades, despite closing the gap on Lionel Messi's all-time tournament goal record. Mbappe, who has scored 18 goals in 18 World Cup games, is now just one shy of Messi's 19 goals and leads the current tournament with six.

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I think the goal, as I said, is to go as far as possible - to make it to (the final on) July 19th and come back here.

"I think the goal, as I said, is to go as far as possible - to make it to (the final on) July 19th and come back here," Mbappe told reporters. "We're trying to win; we're taking it one step at a time. Of course, the more goals you score, the higher you climb in the rankings... But I'm also convinced that Leo is going to score more goals, so I don't focus too much on that."

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We're trying to win; we're taking it one step at a time. Of course, the more goals you score, the higher you climb in the rankings - I’m not telling anyone anything new there.

Instead, Mbappe is concentrating on the team's progression, stating, "I'm more focused on the opponents we might face and how close we're getting to our goal: the final." Argentina, featuring Messi, is set to play Cape Verde in the round of 32, while France will face Paraguay. Mbappe cautioned that France must remain diligent, particularly after Paraguay's unexpected elimination of Germany. "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 added that the team's scoring ability provides a consistent chance to lead in matches.

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But I’m also convinced that Leo is going to score more goals, so I don’t focus too much on that.