Messi vs Mbappe

Two of the current best soccer players in the world, and teammates at PSG, will clash at the World Cup final on Sunday. Who will come out on top?

In the 2022 World Cup, so far, Mbappé has scored five goals for France and has two assists. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are two of the best players in the world right now. The last time their countries faced each other, it was in the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The first leg saw Messi score the first goal, but Mbappé scored a hat trick and PSG walked away with a 4-1 lead. And best of all, two of the best current players in soccer, teammates, going up against each other - a rivalry of past and present. France and Argentina will play in the World Cup final on Sunday, and this matchup has all the storylines you could hope for.

Ahead of the 2022 World Cup final Pete Sharland looks at the face-off between two PSG team-mates, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. One is widely considered ...

But he only has to ask Messi how crucial it is to have the right supporting cast if he wants to cement his legacy. Haaland seems to have found that at City, now Mbappe has to try and find his before it’s too late. The worst thing that can happen is that you tuck in too narrow and he starts drifting closer to the box - try and push him as wide as possible to keep him away from goal. It might be better to have Fernandez track him and leave Paredes as the deep destroyer. The problem with this is that we are seeing a slightly different version of Messi at this World Cup. If France’s midfield can keep the ball away from him, Messi will most likely drift a little deeper to try and get involved. Messi’s future appears to be in sunny Miami, before a potential emotional homecoming in Rosario. Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland will battle Mbappe for the next decade (as well as Jude Bellingham, you might think) but in terms of pure star power there is no one else quite like Mbappe in world football right now. And for even more, Kylian Mbappe is the heir apparent to his throne. But it’s hard to not let the narrative shift that way. Mbappe will play in his second World Cup final just two days before his 24th birthday. He combines that with lethal finishing whether he plays out wide on the left or through the middle.

France and Argentina are ready to battle it out in the World Cup final on Sunday but much of the focus will be on whether Lionel Messi can finally win the ...

He spearheads this generation of French talent and is the most exciting forward of his age in the world right now. Messi has been mesmerising with his scampering runs carrying him across the pitch while he has also been unselfish in his play. Mbappe has five goals and two assists. Mbappe now has the world at his feet. When Argentina have struggled, it has been Messi who has carried them through. The World Cup undoubtedly elevates even the greatest players to another level.

France and Argentina are gearing up for a heavyweight World Cup final that pits Kylian Mbappe against Lionel Messi in a hotly anticipated duel, with history ...

"We are in the final. "We've been together for a month. "He looks in great shape and of course he is one of the best players in the world so we will try to counter Messi's threat as much as possible, just as Argentina will try to stop the influence of some of my players," he said.

Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe? GOAL takes a look at the 2022 World Cup stats, goals and assists of the Argentina and France players.

6 That said, Mbappe has looked incredibly dangerous for France in the knockout stage, despite not scoring as much as he would have liked. 5 Mbappe's goals, by contrast, have all come from open play. In terms of goals scored, Messi and Mbappe have netted five each in six appearances at the 2022 World Cup. How does a young upstart who has already won a World Cup compare to a seven-time Ballon d'Or-clinching veteran?

Argentina and France will play for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on Sunday afternoon. Between the two teams, there are several of the best players in the ...

The Argentine team includes Leandro Paredes and Angel Di Maria, both signed in the last transfer window. Both are the top scorers of the World Cup and will also fight to win the tournament's best player prize. With PSG among the favourites to win the Champions League, having the Qatar World Cup on their trophy cabinet will give them an extra boost. On the other hand, Antione Griezmann is having a stellar tournament for France. Rodrigo De Paul, Nahuel Molina and Angel Correa will be with Argentina. [2022 World Cup in Qatar](https://www.marca.com/en/world-cup.html) on Sunday afternoon.

Doha: With football s top prize at stake in the mouth watering World Cup final between defending champions France and Argentina, the Lionel Messi vs K...

As a 19-year-old, Mbappe outsmarted Messi – 12 years his senior – in Russia scoring two second half goals in the classic World Cup encounter. And naturally, today’s Argentina team is not necessarily the same one we played four years ago,” the France coach added. France defeated Argentina 4-3 in a thrilling Round of 16 game at the World Cup in 2018, with Messi failing to score, only setting up two goals for his team-mates. Obviously, he’s one of the best players of the world.” With both scoring five goals each, Messi’s tally of three assists is more than Mbappe, who has laid on two assists. Having already missed that opportunity in 2014 when Argentina lost to Germany in the final, it will be the last chance for Messi who has declared this would be his final.

Argentina, France eye third World Cup win as PSG duo Messi, Mbappe expected to light up final, OLUWAMAYOMIKUN OREKOYA reports.

In fact, it’s only the second time in men’s World Cup history (the first since 1978) that both finalists arrive in the showpiece having already lost a match in the tournament. They then lost Lucas Hernandez to a torn ACL in the opening match. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni officially has a fully healthy squad, which is a rarity at this stage of the competition after a gruelling, month- long journey in Qatar. This may be the match that decides the best team in the world, but this is not a meeting between two flawless outfits. Seemingly incapable of panicking and boasting obvious firepower, they could feasibly weather the Argentine storm on their way to a third World Cup win. Though it seems Messi would appear to be destined for the ultimate glory this time around, it would take something special to beat this French team.

Messi and Kylian Mbappe have emerged as the top contenders for the Golden Boot. The Paris Saint-Germain teammates reached their five goals each by playing ...

Mbappe will miss his chance as he has scored all of his goals from outside the box. Just Fontaine - France: 13 goals in 6 games played. On the other hand, Mbappe has 5 goals, two assists in his six games. Gerd Muller - Germany: 14 goals in 13 games played. Miroslav Klose - Germany: 16 goals in 24 games played. 2010: Thomas Muller - Germany: 5 goals 2006: Miroslav Klose - Germany: 5 goals 1986: Gary Lineker - England: 6 goals He has three successful penalty kicks, 15 chances created, 26 shots, and 13 shots on goal. They also are competing for the Golden Ball, the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. ◉ 5 - Messi While Argentina entered the tournament as one of the favourites, defending champions France have played steadily and have lost just one match at the group stage.

The 2022 World Cup final stands out because it is a rare deciding match between two of the great stars of the age.

[the resurgent Antoine Griezmann](/sport/football/world-cup/antoine-griezmann-france-morocco-position-stats-b2243739.html) and the ongoing redemption of Ousmane Dembele. [perfect ending for the hosts](/sport/football/gianni-infantino-fifa-argentina-russia-lionel-messi-b2246646.html). [to win the golden boot in this one](/sport/football/world-cup/world-cup-golden-boot-top-scorer-goals-b2243447.html). The focus isn’t just because they are megastars but because they have genuinely been [the most influential players in this World Cup](/sport/football/world-cup/world-cup-team-of-the-tournament-b2245455.html). Their final features the two biggest names from their [other major sportswashing project](/sport/football/world-cup/lionel-messi-kylian-mbappe-final-2022-b2245445.html) at PSG. That has instead served them in terms of the psychology of the group, with a good combination of experience and youthful exuberance. They have represented one of the rare better experiences of this World Cup, and have only been rivalled in number by those from Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. [Lionel Messi](/topic/lionel-messi) has [probably dominated the build-up](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/lionel-messi-argentina-final-b2246494.html) to [World Cup 2022](/topic/world-cup-2022) final more than any player has ever dominated any match in history. That is an attempt just to limit the ball getting to him, since there’s not all that much you can do once he gets it and is in the right mood. While Messi is aiming to follow Maradona in leading Argentina to a World Cup, Mbappe can emulate Pele in claiming his second winner’s medal by the age of 23. Before you get to that history or the politics, the 2022 World Cup final would stand out because it is a rare deciding match between two of the great stars of the age. Deschamps may have all the composure that comes with potentially being just the second coach in history to retain the trophy, but he is well aware that some players start to feel an anxious energy they can’t contain, with the knowledge that [every individual could go down in history](/sport/football/world-cup/argentina-france-lionel-messi-antoine-griezmann-b2245641.html) - for good or bad - infusing every moment.

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will go head to head in the World Cup final between Argentina and France and the outcome could shape football narratives ...

A second World Cup trophy by 24 would really put him up there with some of the greatest players ever. Mbappe was a World Cup winner before he turned 20 and was pivotal to the success that France enjoyed. The two best players on the planet vying for a hattrick of honours inside the flagship Lusail stadium.