FIFA World Cup: At just 23 years of age, Kylian Mbappe has equaled Lionel Messi’s goal tally in the competition. With a brace against Denmark, Mbappe has scored his 7th goal in the tournament.

Kylian Mbappe scores a goal vs Denmark. (Courtesy: AP)

By India Today Web Desk: France’s mercurial strike Kylian Mbappe has equaled Lionel Messi’s goal tally in the FIFA World Cups with a brace against Denmark in the FIFA World Cup 2022. With Mbappe’s brace, France became the first ever team to break the curse of champions since 2006. Mbappe’s goals meant that he now has 7 goals for himself in the FIFA World Cup finals, the same as Lionel Messi tally. However, Mbappe has played far lesser games that the Argentine forward.

Mbappe also equalled legendary Pele in the number of goals below the age of 24. Pele held the record for scoring most number of World Cup goala (7) before the age of 24, and Mbappe has equaled it with one group stage game remaining.

A tight, tense first half saw France enjoy the better chances as Adrien Rabiot went close with a header and the Danes were forced into a number of last-ditch blocks to keep their clean sheet intact.

It was not to last and Mbappe put the French ahead in the 61st minute, crowning a superb high-speed French counter with a bouncing first-time finish from Theo Hernandez’s clever pull-back.

Always a danger from set pieces, Andreas Christensen put the Danes level seven minutes later, stealing in behind the defence and stooping to head home.

Neither side seemed content with a draw and Rabiot fired a spectacular volley over in the 80th minute, and a minute later substitute Martin Braithwaite fired a first-time effort of his own just wide of the near post.

The game looked set to end in a stalemate until Mbappe popped up in the 86th minute at the far post to cushion home an Antoine Griezmann cross from close range to restore the lead to send the traveling French fans into raptures.