France forward Kylian Mbappé scores his 17th and 18th World Cup goals, one back of Lionel Messi

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — France forward Kylian Mbappé scored his 17th and 18th goals at the World Cup on Tuesday, moving one behind Lionel Messi on the tournament's all-time list and tying him with the Argentina star in the race for the Golden Boot at this year's tournament with six apiece.

The 27-year-old Mbappé's first goal against Sweden at MetLife Stadium broke a tie with Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo for the most goals in the knockout stage of the World Cup. His second, in the 74th minute, gave him 10 to add to his record.

Each goal was highlight-reel caliber. In the 45th minute, Mbappé engaged in a give-and-go with Ousmane Dembélé, crossed over Viktor Gyökeres and fired his shot past goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström. In the 74th, he finished off a feed from Michael Olise to put France up 3-0.

Celebrating the first goal, Mbappé ran immediately to coach Didier Deschamps after scoring. This was Deschamps' first game back on the sideline after missing the group stage finale to fly back to Europe for his mother’s funeral.

With 18 goals in 18 World Cup games, Mbappé has scored at an even faster clip than Messi, who has played in 29 games at the tournament. Mbappé was substituted in the 85th minute against Sweden.

France outshot Sweden 15-3 in the first half, dominating in the searing heat. That effort also included Mbappé banging a shot off the left post and even beginning to celebrate before watching it bounce back.

It was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), sunny and humid at the 5 p.m. kickoff with poor air quality. During the first half hydration break, Lucas Digne let himself be doused by a sprinkler.

AP Sports Writer Ron Blum contributed to this report.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) celebrates scoring their third goal during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) celebrates scoring their third goal with Michael Olise (11) during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

France's Kylian Mbappe (10) celebrates scoring their third goal with Michael Olise (11) during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

France's Kylian Mbappe, left, celebrates their first goal with head coach Didier Deschamps, second from left, and teammates during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

France head coach Didier Deschamps, left, celebrates their first goal with Kylian Mbappe (10) during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

France's Kylian Mbappe, second right, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's opening goal during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

France's Kylian Mbappe, second right, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's opening goal during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

France's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

LONDON (AP) — When Serena Williams accepted an offer to play singles at Wimbledon, Maya Joint got to thinking.

The 20-year-old Joint had said there was “always a part of me that wanted to experience playing against her."

After getting what she wished for — a first-round meeting with the tennis icon — Joint delivered on the biggest stage.

The Michigan-born Australian showed few nerves in winning the biggest match of her life — defeating Williams 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 on Tuesday to spoil the 44-year-old Williams' singles comeback at the All England Club.

“I didn’t get much sleep last night. I was up until like 2 a.m. just thinking about it," Joint said in her on-court interview.

The 87th-ranked Joint certainly looked calm on the outside but said she had serious butterflies walking onto Centre Court alongside the GOAT of women's tennis.

During warmups, she felt like her legs “weren’t moving.”

"I really don’t know how I got a pretty good start in the match," Joint said. “She has such an aura, she’s just a legend and this court has so many huge names that have played on it. I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy."

Joint notched her first Wimbledon singles win and just her third Grand Slam singles victory. By the time Joint was born in 2006, Williams had already won seven major titles, completing a career Grand Slam in the process. Williams has won 23 major singles titles — seven at Wimbledon.

“Just the start was very nerve-racking and then trying to finish out the match, as well. She definitely lifted her level and she played some really great tennis there," Joint said.

Joint had chances to end it earlier.

At 5-5 in the second set, Joint squandered four break point opportunities as Williams held serve. Joint then won the next game to love, including back-to-back aces to force a tiebreaker.

Joint had her first match point at 6-5 in the tiebreaker but Williams hit a winner and then won the next two points.

Joint got the key break to go up 4-2 in the deciding set. She sealed the win on her third match point.

“I think I tensed up a little bit when I got close to winning, but I think I played my best tennis when I needed to, which was good,” she said.

Slowed by a back injury earlier this year, Joint at one point lost 10 consecutive matches.

“Even though I didn’t win many matches this year, I still felt like I could win," Joint said. “I had the belief and I just took advantage of the moment and enjoyed it, didn’t really think about the previous matches I’ve played.”

She later added: “If you’re playing Serena, you have nothing to lose. It makes sense that people play their best game against her.”

Last year, Joint won the grass-court Eastbourne tournament ahead of her debut at Wimbledon, where she lost in the first round to Liudmila Samsonova. Joint's only two other victories in majors came at the U.S. Open.

Joint, who represents Australia through her father, joins a list of unheralded players to have eliminated Williams in Wimbledon’s first round.

Harmony Tan was ranked 115th when she beat Williams in 2022. A year prior, it was Aliaksandra Sasnovich, ranked No. 100 at the time, who emerged victorious when Williams retired from the match with a leg injury.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Serena Williams of the United States returns the ball to Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

Maya Joint of Australia plays a forehand against Serena Williams of the United States in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

Serena Williams of the United States, left, and Maya Joint of Australia shake hands at the end of their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

Maya Joint of Australia plays a backhand against Serena Williams of the United States in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

Maya Joint of Australia returns the ball to Serena Williams of the United States in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)