Kylian Mbappé draws level with Lionel Messi atop the Golden Boot standings. Mbappé scored in the 59th minute to give France a 1-0 lead over Morocco in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals. Both superstars now have eight goals, while Erling Haaland remains just one strike behind as the race for the tournament’s top scorer enters its decisive stage.
Led by French coach Didier Deschamps, France (ranked third in the FIFA rankings) dominated Morocco (seventh) with a 2-0 victory at Boston Stadium in the United States on the 10th (Korean time), thanks to consecutive goals from match-solvers Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) and Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain/PSG).
In a grueling and intensely tactical battle at BC Place in Vancouver, Switzerland booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals by defeating Colombia 4–3 in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 0–0 draw through 120 minutes of regular and extra time.
It remains the ultimate paradox of modern football. Lionel Messi can bend a 30-yard free-kick into the stanchion, thread a pass through a needles' eye, and manipulate a moving ball with unparalleled genius. Yet, when the game stops and he is handed a dead ball just 12 yards from the net with only a goalkeeper to beat, the surreal happens and the legendary playmaker becomes entirely human.
Reigning world champions Argentina narrowly avoided one of the most monumental upsets in football history, riding a wave of late drama and highly debated officiating to secure a breathtaking 3-2 victory over Egypt at the Atlanta Stadium. Trailing by two goals with just over ten minutes of normal time remaining, La Albiceleste struck three times in a furious late surge to punch their ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals.
In a stunning turn of events, Lionel Messi has carved out a piece of World Cup history he would surely rather forget.