In a remarkable moment at the 2026 World Cup, Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé have matched a scoring record that stood for 24 years, previously set by Brazilian legends Ronaldo and Rivaldo. The French duo achieved this during their team's victory over Morocco, cementing their place in the tournament's history.
On Thursday, France triumphed 2-0 over Morocco in the quarterfinals held at Boston's Gillette Stadium. Mbappé scored in the 60th minute, followed by Dembélé six minutes later, securing France's position as the first semifinalist of the competition.
Mbappé, playing for Real Madrid, has now netted eight goals in the tournament, while PSG's Dembélé has scored five, bringing their combined tally to an impressive 13 goals in this single World Cup edition.
The last time a pair of teammates amassed such a figure was in the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup, where Ronaldo Nazário claimed the Golden Boot with eight goals and Rivaldo added five, leading Brazil to its fifth world championship.
During that tournament, Ronaldo's iconic brace in the final against Germany sealed his legacy, with Rivaldo's partnership, including Ronaldinho, contributing 16 of Brazil's 18 total goals.
Mbappé's latest strike against Morocco brought his World Cup total to 20 goals across three tournaments (2018, 2022, and 2026), positioning him just one goal shy of Lionel Messi's all-time record of 21 goals over six editions.
Dembélé, meanwhile, reached his five-goal mark following an explosive performance that included a rapid hat-trick against Norway on June 26, scoring in the 7th, 20th, and 32nd minutes.
With five consecutive victories in the 2026 World Cup, France is aiming for its third straight final appearance, having won in 2018 against Croatia and finishing as runners-up in 2022 to Argentina.
Next, France faces Spain, who defeated Belgium 2-1 on Friday at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium to advance to the semifinals. This highly anticipated clash is set for July 14 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where Mbappé and Dembélé will have the chance to surpass the record set by Ronaldo and Rivaldo and create their own legacy in World Cup history. Stay updated with all the action from the 2026 World Cup.
World Cup Records and Milestones
How many goals have Mbappé and Dembélé scored together in the 2026 World Cup?
Together, Mbappé and Dembélé have scored 13 goals in the 2026 World Cup.
Who held the previous combined scoring record in a World Cup?
The previous record was held by Ronaldo Nazário and Rivaldo, who scored a combined total of 13 goals in the 2002 World Cup.
What is Mbappé's current standing in World Cup history in terms of goals?
Mbappé has scored 20 World Cup goals, making him the second-highest scorer in World Cup history, just behind Lionel Messi's 21 goals.