Kylian Mbappé Eyes World Cup Glory as Belgium Prepares for Senegal Clash

Kylian Mbappé walked off the pitch in Philadelphia with the match ball under his arm and Lionel Messi still in his sights, but his gaze was fixed somewhere else entirely – New York, July 19, World Cup final night.

The numbers are staggering. Two more goals in France’s 3-0 dismantling of Sweden in the round of 32 took him to 18 in 18 World Cup games, just one behind Messi’s all-time record of 19. He now shares the top scorer’s spot at this tournament with the Argentine on six.

And yet, when he spoke, the chase for history sounded like a subplot.

“I think the goal, as I said, is to go as far as possible – to make it to (the final on) July 19th and come back here,” Mbappé told reporters. One line, delivered with the calm of a man who treats World Cup knockout games like routine assignments.

He knows the arithmetic. Every strike nudges him closer to Messi in the record books.

“We’re trying to win; we’re taking it one step at a time. Of course, the more goals you score, the higher you climb in the rankings – I’m not telling anyone anything new there.

“But I’m also convinced that Leo is going to score more goals, so I don’t focus too much on that. I’m more focused on the opponents we might face and how close we’re getting to our goal: the final.”

Messi’s Argentina now meet Cape Verde in the last 32, a mismatch on paper but another stage for the No.10 to stretch his lead. Mbappé’s road looks trickier. France face Paraguay next for a place in the quarter-finals, with co-hosts Canada or Morocco waiting beyond that.

Paraguay park the bus – again

Paraguay will arrive in Philadelphia with a clear blueprint. They survived Germany by digging in, defending deep and then holding their nerve in a penalty shootout to send the four-time champions home.

They will not suddenly open up against Mbappé and company.

There is a stubbornness to this Paraguay side, an acceptance that they will suffer without the ball and live off scraps. France know it. Mbappé knows it. And he made it clear there will be no complacency.

“I think we’ll keep working between now and the Paraguay match to see what we can improve, because there are still some sequences that aren't quite clear enough, there’s room for improvement,” he said.

“Still, I think it’s positive overall, and our ability to score goals means we always have the chance to take the lead in matches.”

That is the difference with this France: they rarely need many chances to tilt a tie. Against a side that thrives on frustration and fine margins, that cutting edge might prove decisive.

But if Monday’s shocks taught anyone anything, it is that reputations do not survive on their own.

Germany are out. The Netherlands are out. Both undone by teams who refused to bow to history.

Belgium, watching all of this unfold, have been warned.

Belgium reset, but Senegal stand in the way

By topping Group G, Belgium have already exorcised one demon. Four years ago in Qatar, they trudged home after the group stage, the end of an era arriving with a whimper. This time, a 5-1 demolition of New Zealand sealed first place and a passage into the knockouts with a very different mood.

One win, two draws, unbeaten, and a sense that something is slowly rebuilding after the golden generation’s fade.

“We wanted to finish first in the group stage and we succeeded,” coach Rudi Garcia said in French. “Of course we wanted to win more — we know the story of our World Cup so far. Now it is time for the knockout phase. Senegal is a big team. But, you have to beat them, too, if you want to go far in a World Cup.”

The equation is simple: to call this tournament a success, Belgium must first clear Senegal.

On paper, they should. Senegal finished third in Group I with three points, though their plus-2 goal differential hints at a team that can hurt you. They survived a brutal section containing France and Erling Haaland’s Norway. They are battle-hardened, not just happy to be here.

Romelu Lukaku, who has seen enough World Cups to smell danger, refused to dress it up.

“We know it will be a tough match,” he said in French. “Senegal has a lot of top-level players, and the coach is, too. I think it’s 50-50. We really shouldn’t underestimate them.”

Then came Monday night. Germany dumped out by Paraguay. Morocco sending the Netherlands home earlier than anyone imagined.

Suddenly Lukaku’s warning wasn’t theory. It was the news ticker.

Belgium are favourites again on Wednesday. They know what that label is worth if you drift through a knockout tie. Charles De Ketelaere put it bluntly.

“It doesn’t matter who the favorite is,” the forward said. “We have confidence and need to be sharp. Yesterday showed that it doesn’t matter if you are the favorite.”

Courtois vs Mané, and a missing Mendy

If this tie has a headline duel, it is clear: Thibaut Courtois against Sadio Mané.

Belgium’s goalkeeper has conceded just two goals in three games, anchoring a defence that has quietly tightened up after the chaos of recent years. Senegal, fresh from a 5-0 thrashing of Iraq, will test that resolve with pace and incision.

They must do it, though, without their first-choice goalkeeper.

Édouard Mendy, injured in a 3-2 defeat to Norway in the group stage, will not feature, coach Pape Thiaw confirmed. Mory Diaw, who stepped in against Iraq and kept a clean sheet, is set to start again.

“Mory had a great performance,” Thiaw said in French. “He kept a clean sheet and I think (as) the goalkeeper tomorrow, we hope that we’ll also come up with a clean sheet.”

Senegal will lean on that belief. They have already watched Paraguay and Morocco rip up the script.

“It’s not because you finished top of your group that you’re not going to be knocked out in the next round,” Thiaw said. “That’s exactly what happened with the Netherlands. It’s another tournament starting. We are looking for the win tomorrow so that we can continue our journey.”

Belgium, for their part, welcome back a familiar name to the matchday squad. Center back Zeno Debast has yet to play a minute at this World Cup after a left leg injury, but he returned to training on Monday following an MRI on Saturday, then worked again Tuesday with tape on his left knee.

“Zeno Debast is with the group, but tomorrow is still too soon,” Garcia said. “He is making progress, though. He still needs time to get fully fit, as was anticipated. I am very satisfied with the defenders we have already called upon.”

Garcia’s words underline a quiet confidence. Belgium are not chasing the ghosts of 2018 anymore, nor the disappointment of 2022. They are trying to build something new, with Courtois, Lukaku and a fresh supporting cast.

Mbappé, meanwhile, is hunting a different kind of legacy – a World Cup lifted on American soil and a scoring record wrestled from Messi.

Two teams, two paths, one shared lesson from a wild round of 32: in this World Cup, status guarantees nothing. Only sharpness, ruthlessness and nerve will decide who is still standing when New York comes into view.