Kylian Mbappé, captain of the France national team, made history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. At just 27 years old, Mbappé surpassed Miroslav Klose's record to become the all-time leading goal scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals across three tournaments. He scored 4 goals in the 2018 FIFA World Cup-Russia, 8 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup-Qatar, and 10 in the 2026 edition. Despite his personal achievement, France's campaign ended in the semi-finals, losing 2-0 to Spain, who had also eliminated them in the UEFA Euro 2024-Europe. Mbappé expressed surprise at achieving this milestone so young, acknowledging Lionel Messi as a predecessor in World Cup scoring. He stated his long-held dream was to participate in the competition, not necessarily to win it.