Kylian Mbappe reveals which legend will score more in FIFA World Cup 2026: Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi

France forward Kylian Mbappe has made a bold prediction ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The tournament begins on June 11 with hosts Mexico taking on South Africa. As excitement builds for football’s biggest event, Mbappe shared his thoughts on which stars could score the most goals. Among the names discussed were Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Vinicius Jr., and several other top attackers expected to shine during the competition.

Mbappe is preparing for his third World Cup appearance. He won the title with France in 2018 and finished as a runner-up in 2022. The French captain is once again among the favorites to lead his country deep into the tournament. At the same time, the World Cup could mark the final appearance for football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who are both set to play in the competition for a record sixth time.

Kylian Mbappe backs Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Lionel Messi in FIFA World Cup 2026 goals race

During a football challenge with content creator Finn Agostinelli in partnership with Sorare, Kylian Mbappe was asked to pick which players would score more goals at the upcoming World Cup. The challenge featured several of the biggest names in world football.


Mbappe first selected Spain sensation Lamine Yamal ahead of Florian Wirtz, Memphis Depay, Mohamed Salah, and Erling Haaland. He then chose his Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Jr. over Yamal and later backed England captain Harry Kane to score fewer goals than the Brazilian winger.

As the choices narrowed, Mbappe picked Lionel Messi over Vinicius Jr. However, when comparing Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the France star believed the Portuguese captain would finish with a higher goal tally. In the final comparison, Mbappe confidently backed himself to score more goals than Ronaldo during the tournament.

Ronaldo and Messi remain two of the most successful players in football history. Both have enjoyed remarkable World Cup careers. However, their records differ significantly. Messi has been the more influential performer on the World Cup stage. The Argentine legend guided his nation to the title in 2022. He has recorded 13 goals and eight assists in 26 World Cup matches. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has scored eight goals in 22 appearances for Portugal.

One statistic continues to follow the Portuguese star. Despite his success in international football, Ronaldo has never scored in a World Cup knockout match. Portugal will be hoping that changes this year as they chase their first World Cup title under coach Roberto Martinez.

France have been placed in Group I and will face Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. Mbappe will look to lead Les Bleus to another strong campaign while also trying to prove his prediction correct on football’s biggest stage.