Messi reached 16 World Cup goals after a hat trick in the opener, tying Miroslav Klose at the top of the charts. Mbappé sits on 14 goals after scoring twice against Senegal. The Real Madrid forward said he expected Messi to keep finding the net and acknowledged the Argentine is ahead in the standings for now.
I already knew Messi was going to keep scoring goals. He always does. He is ahead, and I am behind. I will keep scoring to help my national team go as far as possible.
Mbappé tied his ambitions to France's run in the tournament.
When you score goals, you have a better chance of going far, and what I want is to win the World Cup.
On the long running Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo debate, Mbappé did not declare a winner between the two. He placed both on the same level after 16 years at the top of the sport.
It's clear that Messi is the best in the world, just like Cristiano. For 16 years, they have shown extraordinary quality. I just try to do what I know how to do: show my level on the biggest possible stage.
The Iraq fixture also marks Mbappé's 100th appearance in a France shirt, a milestone he called historic at a World Cup. France could clinch qualification to the next round with a win.
There is nothing greater than the national team. Reaching 100 matches is historic, and even more so at a World Cup. It's going to be a very special occasion for me, but the absolute priority is to win to seal qualification.
