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France captain and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe said his primary focus is on helping Les Bleus reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 final rather than chasing individual scoring records, following his side's 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32, according to Reuters.
Mbappe, who has scored 18 goals in 18 FIFA World Cup appearances, said France are taking the tournament one match at a time as they prepare for their Round of 16 clash against Paraguay. "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," Mbappe told reporters, as quoted by Reuters. The France skipper acknowledged that scoring goals naturally boosts a player's standing in the record books but insisted that team success remains his priority. "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," he said, as quoted by Reuters. Mbappe also brushed aside comparisons with Argentina legend Lionel Messi in the race for World Cup scoring records. "But I'm also convinced that Leo (Lionel Messi) 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," he added. Looking ahead to France's next challenge in the Round of 16, Mbappe said the team would continue working on improving certain aspects of its play despite its impressive attacking form. "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," Mbappe added. France advanced to the Round of 16 after defeating Sweden 3-0, with Mbappe scoring twice to become the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup knockout-stage history. (ANI)
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