by ON CLOUD NINE MBAPPE destroyed Poland’s defence and more World Cup records as France reached the quarter-finals.
The striker’s double in Sunday’s 3-1 win means he has nine World Cup goals – surpassing Pele’s seven as the most ever for a player aged under 24 and level with Lionel Messi’s total from FIVE tournaments.
Kylian Mbappe celebrates his record-breaking double against Poland
Brazil icon Pele, a three-time World Cup winner, scored twice aged 17 in the 5-2 final win over Sweden in 1958 and is seen here hailing his opener in the 1970 final
At just 23, Mbappe will expect to eventually pass Miroslav Klose’s all-time WC record of 16 goals.
And he earlier provided the assist as 36-year-old Olivier Giroud became France’s top scorer ever on 52 strikes, one ahead of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
Mbappe then rattled up more landmarks that show why PSG’s jet-heeled hero is surely the world’s most valuable player.
He rammed home to double France’s lead and conjured an even better finish with a fierce swerver into the top corner.
Robert Lewandowski’s reply from a twice-taken penalty in stoppage-time scarcely distracted from Mbappe’s history-making.
The former Real Madrid frontman has taken just 11 games to ease past Pele’s WC goal record for players aged 23 or under.
It comes as the Brazilian three-time tournament winner, now 82, who says he still feels “strong” and “positive” after being put on end-of-life care.
Many will think Mbappe could surpass Pele”s all-time haul of 12 THIS MONTH – especially of course if France go all the way to the final.
In fact, Mbappe can now boast the staggering stat of 250 goals in 360 matches for club and country.
Apart from matching 35-year-old Messi’s total of nine World Cup strikes, he has passed the eight goals amassed by Cristiano Ronaldo, 37.
And his scoring rate is way better than Klose’s.
The Germany poacher notched 16 in 24 games over four World Cups.
And if France emulate the Germans’ extraordinary run of the Klose era – and Mbappe stays fit – the Parisian could obliterate his record.
Klose was a World Cup runner-up in 2002, recorded third-place finishes in 2006 and 2010 and was finally a tournament winner in 2014.
