THERE’S a reason the Lionel Messi/Cristiano Ronaldo debate has been flogged to death.
Football fans will always be intensely invested in the world’s absolute best players and there can be doubt that the Argentine No10 and the Portuguese No7 will be remembered as two of the greatest to ever grace a pitch.
With both icons on the brink of their last World Cup, there has been a lot of talk in recent times about which players will rise to power in the next decade?
The names put forward most frequently are Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, with good reason.
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Between them, the pair have scored 62 goals in 73 Champions League appearances and have quickly risen to become the primary goal threats for PSG and Manchester City respectively.
It already feels as if the two will forever be linked in the same manner as Messi and Ronaldo – it’s likely we’ll see them battle it out for the Ballon d’Or several times over in the coming years.
How conscious Mbappe and Haaland are of their rivalry is unclear but it would surprising if they hadn’t given it at least some thought – elite sportspeople tend to be ultra competitive.
So far this season, the Norwegian poacher has gained considerable ground in the culture war – which is not to say PSG’s No7 has underwhelmed, far from it.
Mbappe has 18 goals and five assists from 19 games this term but Haaland has dominated the spotlight having plundered 23 goals (and three assists) from just 16 outings.
It’s generally accepted that the Premier League is the most competitive domestic league in the world which is why Man City’s new No9 has garnered such praise for making a mockery of its Golden Boot race – he’s seven goals clear of Harry Kane at this stage.
Haaland’s ruthless efficiency displayed on a new stage has been the overriding theme of the 2022/23 season for many – pretty much every supporter in Europe has guessed at how many goals he’ll score by the end of the campaign.
Couple this with Mbappe having to share the limelight with Neymar and Lionel Messi in the French capital, both in great form currently, and it’s no wonder the dynamic of the emerging duopoly has shifted.
But the Frenchman has the perfect opportunity to readdress the balance this winter.
Norway failed to qualify for the World Cup so Haaland will not have the chance to enhance his reputation at the planet’s most-watched sporting event.
In contrast, Mbappe represents the holders and, by extension, one of the favourites.
For the 23-year-old, it’s also a return to the stage on which his reputation ballooned in 2018.
He scored four goals as Les Bleus conquered all in Russia, including one in the final, and was named Best Young Player at the tournament.
An impressive and (most importantly) ultimately successful World Cup campaign goes a huge way to defining a player’s career- Diego Maradona and Pele’s legacies as all-time greats are shaped by their performances on the biggest international stage.
Mbappe ticking the achievement off his checklist in his teenage years formed the foundation of his reputation as heir to the throne – especially considering World Cup glory has evaded Messi and Ronaldo.
Another magnificent campaign in Qatar would cement his claim to the crown and may cause a few Haaland admirers to reconsider their allegiance.
The PSG forward may also feel he has some demons to exorcise after a disappointing showing personally, and from Didier Deschamps’ side collectively, at Euro 2020.
As expected, Mbappe is proving to be a popular man among Dream Team World Cup gaffers.
He currently features in 39.7% of provisional teams created so far, making him the most-selected player in the game, narrowly ahead of Kevin De Bruyne.
France start the defence of their crown against Australia and will also face Tunisia and Denmark in Group D – the latter beat them home and away earlier this year so keep an eye on that match-up.
Needless to say, Mbappe will fancy his chances of cashing in against Australia and Tunisia – Dream Team World Cup bosses that proceed without him for those fixtures will be taking a risk.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
