This is the World Cup, where the big stars have shone so far. On Friday night, two of these big hitters are set to battle it out in the first Clash of the Titans matchup.
While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo make their final bows at this tournament, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have proven they are the great goalscorers of their generation.
This is the new rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo. And this is the first time at the World Cup.
Norway and France will meet in the final of Group I, and both countries have already qualified for the knockout stages. It may be tempting to rest both key teams for the upcoming battles after both scored doubles in their opening two group games.
But with the Golden Boot race very much aliveDo you dare to bench the goal stars? Of course not…
Haaland and Mbappe are the only players in Europe under the age of 30 to score at least 250 career goals – and they lead the way in their respective leagues.
Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are two of the preeminent goal threats in world football
This rivalry does not yet have the ferocity of Messi and Ronaldo when they played for Barcelona and Real. Mbappe and Haaland play in different leagues.
But they still remain at the top of the modern game: both have one European Golden Boot each; Mbappe has more championship titles; Haaland won more individual competitions in more countries.
Mbappe has the World Cup, but Haaland has the Champions League, which his French rival has never won.
If we talk about the Champions League, then there the rivals compete with each other in the scorers’ tables.
Mbappe still has more goals, but to be fair, the France forward started earlier. When Mbappe made his way from Monaco and then PSG, the Norwegian forward was still playing for his country at Molde.
But this does not mean that Haaland is inferior to Mbappe. In fact, Holland has the best goals per game record in the tournament’s history.
In addition, Mbappe has long-term international status. His brace against Iraq took him to 16 goals in 16 World Cup matches, equaling Miroslav Klose’s all-time record (now held by Messi).
But Haaland has shown his hand by scoring four goals in the tournament so far – becoming the second player this century to hit multiple strikes in his first two World Cup matches after Harry Kane.
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Erling Haaland has praised his goal-scoring ability and is proud to have “made history” with Norway after the Scandinavians won their 12th game in a row against Senegal.
If Haaland continues his two-goal-per-game pace and plays in every match, he will reach 16 goals – which was Klose’s World Cup record – at this year’s finals. Unlikely, yes, but not impossible.
Holland’s sample size is just smaller, but what is clear is that these two players will surely see the scoring records fall before they do.
In the long run, Mbappe will no doubt inevitably take Messi’s World Cup goalscoring record. Perhaps he will succeed even this summer.
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On The Rest is Football, Gary Lineker, Joe Cole and Harry Maguire discuss whether we’re about to witness another World Cup dominated by the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
But you can’t rule out Holland reaching that level one day, especially if Norway qualify for the next three extended World Cups before he turns 37.
His international record is phenomenal, with 59 goals for Norway – one behind Mbappe’s 60 for France – despite Holland playing 48 fewer internationals.
Ronaldo’s Champions League record of 140 points is also under threat. Mbappe is already halfway to that mark at the age of 28, while Haaland is 13 goals behind the Frenchman despite being just two years younger.
Another comparison between the Messi vs. Ronaldo and Mbappe vs. Haaland rivalry lies in the stylistic differences between the two players in a one-on-one battle.
Mbappe and Haaland will be rivals for some time to come
Messi’s technically superior left-footed profile meshed well with Ronaldo’s right-footed physicality.
Mbappe is a speedy, all-round forward who takes on players, popping up and scoring from anywhere on the pitch – witness the long-range goals against Senegal and Iraq. Haaland, meanwhile, is a clinical finisher from inside the box for the first time who makes more use of his physical presence.
Which player is better? Like Messi and Ronaldo, the right answer is surely to enjoy them both while they’re still here – and before the next two players arrive.