Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala believes Kylian Mbappé has what it takes to surpass Lionel Messi’s newly established FIFA World Cup scoring record, as the battle between the two football icons continues to captivate fans at the 2026 tournament.
The race to become the greatest goalscorer in World Cup history took another dramatic twist on Monday as Messi and Mbappé delivered yet more outstanding performances for Argentina and France respectively.
Messi struck twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria, taking his overall World Cup tally to 18 goals and overtaking former Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the competition’s all-time leading scorer.
The Argentine legend also moved to the top of the Golden Boot standings with five goals after two matches.
However, Mbappé ensured the spotlight remained firmly on him later in the day.
The France captain netted a brace in France’s comfortable 3-0 win over Iraq, bringing his World Cup career tally to 16 goals and keeping him within touching distance of Messi’s new record.
With both players already qualified for the knockout rounds, their pursuit of history has emerged as one of the defining storylines of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Among those closely following the battle is Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala. The Super Falcons forward took to social media to share her thoughts on the remarkable contest and expressed confidence that Mbappé could eventually eclipse Messi’s record before the tournament concludes.
“Let’s not lie o, Mbappé is capable of shattering this Messi record at this current World Cup,” Oshoala posted on X.
Oshoala’s prediction is far from unrealistic given Mbappé’s blistering form. The French superstar has already scored four goals in two games and remains one of the most dangerous attacking players at the tournament.
The 27-year-old now trails Messi by just two goals in the all-time standings and could further close the gap when France face Norway in their final Group I fixture on Saturday.
Messi, meanwhile, will look to extend his lead when Argentina take on Jordan a day later.
