Kylian Mbappe has added to his burgeoning reputation by matching a 60-year-old World Cup record held by Pele. The France star struck twice in a thrilling 4-3 last-16 defeat of Argentina to send Les Bleus into the quarter-finals, becoming the first teenager to score more than once in a World Cup game since 1958. Mbappe became the youngest goalscorer for France at a major tournament when he scored a close-range winner to down Peru in Russia 2018’s group stage.
1958 – Kylian Mbappé 🇫🇷 (19 years & 6 months) is the youngest player to score at least two goals in a World Cup game since Pelé 🇧🇷 v Sweden in 1958 (17 years & 8 months). Shivers. #FRARG #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/51N8RSGs6K
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 30, 2018
But the Paris Saint-Germain forward, the second-most expensive player in history behind team-mate Neymar, went one better as France beat Argentina in Kazan. The scores were level at 2-2 when Mbappe seized on a loose ball in the box, skipped into space and thumped a low drive through goalkeeper Franco Armani.
And within four minutes Mbappe struck again, racing on to an Olivier Giroud pass to slot a neat finish past Armani to set up a last-eight meeting with either Portugal or Uruguay. Pele remains the youngest player to have scored at least twice in a World Cup match, the Brazil legend hitting a double against Sweden in the 1958 final at the age of 17. Although Mbappe is two years older than Pele, the France star has announced himself as a star of the present – as well as the future.