Sports
Kylian Mbappe: The ridiculous statistics of the man destined to shatter all World Cup records
France striker Kylian Mbappe is a World Cup and Champions League marvel who is destined to break all sorts of records, having already toppled a fair few.
The fella was ludicrously good in the World Cup final and he might well have a decent career in store.
* Only five players have scored more World Cup goals than the 23-year-old Kylian Mbappe (12): Lionel Messi, Just Fontaine (both 13), Gerd Muller (14), Ronaldo (15) and Miroslav Klose (16).
* Only five players have ever scored more goals in a single World Cup tournament than Kylian Mbappe’s eight in 2022: Gerd Muller (10 in 1970), Eusebio (9 in 1966), Just Fontaine (13 in 1958), Sandor Kocsis (11 in 1954) and Ademir (9 in 1950).
* No player has scored more World Cup knockout goals (last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final) than the 23-year-old Kylian Mbappe, who is level with Ronaldo on 8.
* Only five players have scored more goals for the French national team than Kylian Mbappe (36), and only Just Fontaine has scored more goals for the French national team at the World Cup. He is also the youngest French player to score at a World Cup.
* Kylian Mbappe was the first player to score eight, nine, 10, 11 and 12 World Cup goals before their 24th birthday.
* Kylian Mbappe was the second teenager to score twice in a World Cup game and the second teenager to score in a World Cup final; Pele was first to do both.
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* Kylian Mbappe is only the second player to score a World Cup final hat-trick, after Geoff Hurst in 1966.
* Kylian Mbappe is only the second player to score in consecutive World Cup final matches, after Vava in 1958 and 1962.
* Only four players have been top scorer at a World Cup tournament at a younger age than Kylian Mbappe (8 goals) in 2022: James Rodriguez was 23 in 2014 (6), Thomas Muller was 20 in 2010 (5), Mario Kempes was 23 in 1978 (6) and Florian Albert was 20 in 1962 (4).
* Kylian Mbappe is the top scorer in World Cup final matches with four goals in 2018 and 2022.
* Kylian Mbappe is the only player to score a competitive hat-trick for France in Kylian Mbappe’s lifetime. Before his four goals against Kazakhstan in a World Cup qualifier in November 2021 and three against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final, the previous treble for Les Bleus outside of friendlies was in 1985, by Dominique Rocheteau.
* Only 18 players in Champions League and European Cup history have scored more goals in the competition than Kylian Mbappe (40), and of those just Eusebio, Alfredo di Stefano, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robert Lewandowski, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have a better goals-per-game record than the Frenchman’s 0.68.
* Kylian Mbappe has scored more Champions League or European Cup goals than Ferenc Puskas, Gerd Muller, Samuel Eto’o. Wayne Rooney, David Trezeguet, Ryan Giggs, Luis Suarez and Romario, among many others.
* Kylian Mbappe became the youngest player to score 40 Champions League goals in November 2022. He also holds the record as the youngest player to score 35 Champions League goals and once set the mark for 30, 25, 20 and 15 (breaking Messi’s record each time), as well as 10 (surpassing Karim Benzema). Erling Haaland has since beaten most of those and is 12 tournament goals behind Mbappe, with 19 months on him.
* Kylian Mbappe is one of only three players to score a Champions League hat-trick against Barcelona, and the first to score four goals against the Catalans in a single Champions League campaign.
* Kylian Mbappe is Paris Saint-Germain’s record goalscorer in the European Cup and Champions League, despite being 23 and joining them five years ago. He is also their second-highest scorer of all time in all competitions.
* Only eight players have ever scored more Champions League knockout stage goals than Kylian Mbappe (15), who has more than Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba and any Liverpool player.
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* Kylian Mbappe is the youngest player in Champions League history to score in both legs of a quarter-final, and to score at all in a semi-final, with those goals coming for Monaco in 2017. His first six Champions League career goals were all in the knockout stages.
* Kylian Mbappe is the youngest Champions League goalscorer for two clubs, which is ridiculous the more you think about it. He was quite inevitably the first teenager in history to score a Champions League goal for two different clubs.
* Kylian Mbappe is the highest-scoring teenager in Champions League history.
* Kylian Mbappe has already scored away at Camp Nou, the Bernabeu, Old Trafford, Anfield, the Etihad, the Allianz Arena, the Juventus Stadium, Signal Iduna Park and Celtic Park.
* Only four of the 21 teams Kylian Mbappe has played in the Champions League have prevented him from ever scoring. He has faced Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen just once, making CSKA Moscow and Napoli the only teams to come up against Mbappe twice in Europe without conceding to him.
* Mbappe has played 12 games against English clubs, scoring and assisting five goals each against Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham.
* Mbappe was the most expensive teenager in football history and remains the second most expensive player ever after his £166m move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2018.
* Mbappe ranks 21st for all-time Ligue Un goals (147) but is first for Ligue Un goals scored in the 21st century.
* Mbappe has been Ligue Un top scorer in four consecutive seasons; the overall record for most Golden Boots in the French top flight is five; he is the current joint top scorer in the 2022/23 campaign.
* Mbappe was the first player to finish as top scorer and assist provider in the same Ligue Un season (2021/22).
* Mbappe is the only player to win the Ligue Un Player of the Year award in three consecutive seasons.
* Mbappe has scored 253 goals in 363 career appearances for club and country, winning 14 trophies.
Sports
BREAKING: Ronaldo Retires From International Football After 23 Years With Portugal
Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to his remarkable 23-year career with the Portugal national team.
The 41-year-old forward announced his decision on Thursday, November 5, 2026, in a video message shared on his social media accounts, saying he was ready to hand over Portugal’s iconic No. 7 shirt to the next generation.
Ronaldo, who made his senior international debut in August 2003, leaves the national team as the highest-scoring player in men’s international football and its most-capped player, with 146 goals in 234 appearances.
In his announcement, Ronaldo reflected on the privilege and responsibility of representing Portugal for more than two decades.
He said: “To the Portuguese people. The time has come to hang our national team’s number 7 shirt. I never felt that it belonged exclusively to me, but for 23 years I have had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it.”
He added that representing Portugal had given him some of the most memorable moments of his football career and that the country would always remain part of him.
A career filled with records and trophies
Ronaldo’s international career began in August 2003 when he made his debut for Portugal at the age of 18.
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Over the next 23 years, he established himself as one of the most successful players in international football, setting records for appearances and goals.
His major achievements with Portugal include winning the 2016 UEFA European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles, in 2019 and 2025.
He also represented Portugal at six World Cups, from 2006 to 2026, becoming the first player to score at six different editions of the men’s tournament.
His 146 international goals and 234 appearances leave him at the top of the men’s international football records.
November matches expected to mark farewell
Ronaldo’s announcement comes after a difficult period with Portugal, including a disagreement with national team coach Jorge Jesus.
The Al-Nassr forward walked out of Portugal’s training camp in September following disagreements over his playing time and his exclusion from the starting line-up.
He subsequently apologised to his teammates and Portuguese supporters, while accepting a disciplinary punishment from the Portuguese Football Federation.
The federation handed him a 30-day suspension and a fine of €255 following the incident. The suspension was backdated to October 1.
Ronaldo is expected to bring his international career to a close after Portugal’s November international engagements, with the team scheduled to face Denmark on November 14 and Wales on November 17.
His departure will mark the end of an era for Portuguese football, as the country prepares to move forward without the player who has captained its national team and broken numerous international records.
Portugal will, however, continue to have the legacy of a footballer whose name has become synonymous with the country’s achievements on the international stage.
BREAKING: Ronaldo Retires From International Football After 23 Years With Portugal
Sports
Nigeria Flamingos Make History, Stun Brazil 3-1 to Reach U-17 Women’s World Cup Final
Nigeria Flamingos Make History, Stun Brazil 3-1 to Reach U-17 Women’s World Cup Final
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have made history by becoming the first African country to reach the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after defeating Brazil 3-1 in a thrilling semi-final encounter on Wednesday night.
Inspired by a brilliant brace from Awawu Bashiru and an early strike from Queen Joseph, the Nigerian girls produced an impressive performance to overcome their South American opponents and book a historic place in Saturday’s final in Morocco.
Joseph opened the scoring with a close-range finish from four yards to give Akeem Busari’s side an early advantage.
Bashiru then doubled Nigeria’s lead with a moment of brilliance, sending a lofted cross over the Brazilian goalkeeper and into the net in the 71st minute.
The forward completed her brace 10 minutes later, calmly firing home a well-placed effort at the near post to extend Nigeria’s advantage and send the Nigerian bench, supporters and officials into wild celebrations.
Brazil managed to pull one back through Greise Kelly in the 89th minute, but it was too little, too late as the Flamingos held on for a memorable victory.
The triumph represents Nigeria’s first-ever victory over Brazil at this level and marks a significant milestone for African women’s football, with the Flamingos becoming the first team from the continent to qualify for the tournament’s final.
Nigeria will now have the opportunity to surpass their previous best achievement of winning the bronze medal in 2022 as they prepare for a showdown with Japan, who defeated tournament favourites Korea DPR in the other semi-final.
The eagerly anticipated final is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, in Morocco, with the Flamingos aiming to crown their historic campaign with Nigeria’s first-ever U-17 Women’s World Cup title.
Sports
Tragedy: Spanish Footballer Jesús de Miguel Dies at 30 After On-Field Collision
Spanish footballer Jesús de Miguel has died at the age of 30 after suffering a cardiac arrest following a collision with an opposing goalkeeper during a league match involving his club, CD Tenerife.
The striker died on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at a hospital in Tenerife, Spain, a day after he collapsed during his team’s encounter against FC Andorra in the Spanish second division.
The incident occurred in the closing stages of Monday’s match at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium, with both teams level at 2-2.
De Miguel was chasing a long ball towards the middle of the pitch when FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono rushed out of his penalty area to intercept it. The goalkeeper collided with the forward, striking him in the chest with his knee.
De Miguel immediately fell to the ground, prompting players from both teams to call for urgent medical assistance. Owono was shown a straight red card following the collision.
Medical personnel rushed onto the pitch and administered emergency treatment to the injured footballer before he was transported to hospital by ambulance.
During the journey, De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest, but medical personnel reportedly managed to restore his pulse through emergency resuscitation.
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He was subsequently admitted to the intensive care unit of Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
CD Tenerife initially described his condition as stable despite the seriousness of his injuries. However, a subsequent medical update indicated that his neurological condition had deteriorated.
He died at approximately 8:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday.
Announcing his death, CD Tenerife expressed profound sorrow over the loss of the striker and extended condolences to his family, friends, teammates and supporters.
The club also appealed for respect for the privacy of his family during the difficult period.
The tragedy has prompted a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the footballer’s death, including possible involuntary manslaughter under Spanish law.
Authorities explained that such proceedings are routinely initiated when a death is considered non-natural. The investigation does not, in itself, establish criminal responsibility on the part of anyone involved in the collision.
Meanwhile, the incident has triggered an outpouring of condolences across the football community.
Spanish football giants, including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, expressed sympathy to Tenerife and De Miguel’s family.
FC Andorra also paid tribute to the deceased player, while the club’s president and former Barcelona defender, Gerard Piqué, expressed his condolences.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) postponed matches scheduled for Tuesday in the Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina as a mark of respect.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) also announced that matches across its competitions would observe a minute of silence in memory of the late footballer.
De Miguel joined Tenerife from Castellón ahead of the 2025–2026 season.
Born in Madrid in 1996, he built his career across several Spanish clubs, including Leganés B, Fuenlabrada, Unionistas de Salamanca and Castellón.
He scored 11 goals during the previous season and helped Castellón secure promotion to Spain’s second division.
His death has left teammates, supporters and members of the Spanish football community mourning the loss of a player whose career was cut short by the tragic incident.
Tragedy: Spanish Footballer Jesús de Miguel Dies at 30 After On-Field Collision
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