The record-breaking moment arrived in the 45th minute. After a sharp give-and-go with Ousmane Dembele, Mbappe crossed over Sweden’s Viktor Gyokeres before rifling a finish past goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom. The goal was Mbappe’s ninth in the knockout stages of the World Cup, breaking the record mark previously shared by Brazilian icons Leonidas and Ronaldo.
“I’m very aware of who I am, how I play, what I shall do, but it’s not just about me,” Mbappe said. “The entire team is aware of what should be done. It is a new competition that has started today. We did play well, but we were timid. We could have done better at the beginning.”
