Kylian Mbappé is on the brink of matching Cafú's legendary record of three consecutive FIFA World Cup finals as France progresses in the 2026 tournament. After a decisive 2-0 victory against Morocco in the quarterfinals, where Mbappé scored a goal, the possibility of him achieving this milestone is now a tangible reality.
The Brazilian icon Cafú remains the only player to have participated in three consecutive finals, having done so in 1994, 1998, and 2002. This remarkable achievement involved coming off the bench in 1994, starting in the 1998 final against France, and leading Brazil to victory in 2002. No other player has reached such a feat across three World Cups, making this record particularly significant in football history.
Mbappé's journey to this potential record already includes two World Cup finals: he played in the victorious 2018 match against Croatia and faced Argentina in the narrow loss during the 2022 final, where he notably scored a hat trick. As of early July 2026, he has netted 20 goals in 20 World Cup matches, placing him alongside Lionel Messi for the all-time World Cup scoring record.
FIFA has highlighted Mbappé as the only active player capable of tying Cafú's record. Achieving this will depend on France's performance in the upcoming semifinal match, where a victory will secure Mbappé's chance at a third final appearance.
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