The 2026 World Cup is approaching, and with it, all eyes are on the world's biggest stars who will be participating. The protagonists of the 2022 World Cup final, won by Argentina on penalties after a 3-3 draw against France, will once again be in the spotlight this year.

Both Kylian Mbappe, who scored a hat trick in that final to narrowly miss out on two consecutive World Cup titles, and Lionel Messi, whose brace denied France silverware and allowed him to lift the trophy he so desperately wanted, will compete in the tournament in Mexico, the USA and Canada in search of making more history in the tournament.

The Argentine and the Frenchman have been quite prolific in the editions they have played so far, sitting just 3 and 4 goals behind Miroslav Klose, the top scorer in World Cup history with 16 goals.

Both strikers are in great form going into the prestigious tournament, with Argentina and France among the favourites to lift the trophy on 19 July at MetLife Stadium.

Mbappé (L) and Messi (R)

One final shot for Messi

A 38-year-old Messi is preparing to play what will almost certainly be his last World Cup with Argentina before retiring, making it his last chance to retire as at least the top scorer in World Cup history.

The Argentine scored his first goal in his first appearance in the 2006 World Cup, coming off the bench to score in a crushing 6-0 victory over Serbia. The Miami star did not score again in that edition, in which the Albiceleste were eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals on penalties.

A much more mature Messi, already established as the best player in the world, surprisingly failed to find the net in five matches at the 2010 World Cup, where they were again eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals.

The Argentine was more prolific in the 2014 World Cup, scoring four goals in the three group stage matches. The No. 10 scored in a 2-1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, another goal to sink Iran 1-0, and a brace to claim a 3-2 victory over Nigeria. However, the Argentine star did not score again on the way to the final, which they lost in extra time to Germany thanks to a goal from Mario Gotze.

In the 2018 edition, he scored only one goal, in the group stage in a 2-1 victory over Nigeria, before being eliminated in the round of 16 by a 4-3 defeat to France, where a young Kylian Mbappe was already beginning to shine, and which went on to be crowned champions in that edition.

The 2022 World Cup, probably the most important tournament of Leo Messi's career, was the most prolific for the Argentine, who scored in every game on the way to the final except the last group stage match against Poland, in which he missed a penalty. In addition, the Miami star scored twice in the final against France to deny 'Les Bleus' two consecutive titles.

Lionel Messi

More to come for Mbappe

The fact that Kylian Mbappe is just four goals away from becoming the top scorer in World Cup history after playing in only two editions clearly reflects the French striker's affinity for this tournament.

The Real Madrid star got off to a flying start, being one of the stars of a France team that ended up lifting the trophy in the final at just 19 years of age. The French winger scored in a 1-0 victory over Peru in the group stage and a brace to eliminate Leo Messi's Argentina in the round of 16. He also found the net in the 4-2 victory over Croatia in the final.

The star of 'Les Bleus' was lethal once again in the following edition, coming close to lifting his second World Cup at just 23 years of age and finishing that edition as the top scorer with eight goals. The Frenchman scored a goal against Australia in the group stage and a brace to beat Denmark, before scoring another brace in the round of 16 against Poland and his iconic hat-trick against Argentina in the final, which almost prevented Leo Messi from lifting the trophy.

The fact is that even if Messi manages to score more goals than him in the 2026 World Cup, the French star has at least two more editions ahead of him, barring any surprises, in which it will be almost inevitable that he will establish himself as the top scorer in the history of the tournament.

Kylian Mbappé

K. Mbappé

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