Lionel Messi lastly has one thing Kylian Mbappe already had with a World Cup winners’ medal. Now Mbappe needs what Messi has gained many instances: the Ballon d’Or.
After their fascinating duel in a wild World Cup remaining, the match’s finest participant Messi and its prime scorer Mbappe are agency front-runners to win the subsequent males’s Ballon d’Or.
Name it Messi vs. Mbappe half II, and it continues Wednesday when the Paris Saint-Germain teammates face Angers in a French league sport. Messi was given an prolonged break again dwelling in Argentina after the World Cup, however has resumed full coaching and PSG coach Christophe Galtier hopes he’ll be able to play.
As a result of they play for a similar crew, their rivalry may intensify over the remainder of this season.
The 35-year-old Messi has gained a report seven Ballon d’Or trophies given to the most effective participant in Europe. Solely 5 Frenchmen — together with Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema — have gained it however the 24-year-old Mbappe has by no means been on the rostrum.
Mbappe made his targets clear whereas on the ceremony when Benzema gained: “For me, of course it’s an objective to win one or many of them. But of course there’s a process to reach that. I think I’m on the right track.” A challenger this time could possibly be prolific Manchester Metropolis striker Erling Haaland, however he didn’t play on the World Cup — not to mention star in it — after Norway did not qualify.
Mbappe gained the 2018 World Cup with France when he was simply 19. Messi waited agonisingly lengthy to get his fingers on the trophy, dropping within the 2014 remaining. He did so in fashion final month when Argentina beat France to win its third World Cup title in arguably essentially the most intense remaining within the match’s 92-year historical past.
Messi’s two targets within the remaining capped a outstanding match the place he scored seven instances, completed as the most effective participant, and reached a whopping 98 targets general for Argentina.
The excellent news for Argentina followers is that he needs to play a short while longer carrying the Albiceleste jersey.
Mbappe, in the meantime, grew to become solely the second participant to attain a hat trick in a World Cup remaining and completed one forward of Messi on eight targets as match’s prime scorer — the primary to achieve that haul since Brazil’s Ronaldo in 2002.
Mbappe’s general tally of 12 World Cup targets places him degree with Brazil nice Pele — and one behind Messi and Frenchman Simply Fontaine, the single-tournament report holder with 13 in 1958.
Former West Germany striker Gerd Mueller (14), Ronaldo (15) and report holder Miroslav Klose of Germany (16) are effectively inside Mbappe’s sights contemplating the younger Frenchman could have three extra World Cups forward of him.
By the 2026 World Cup, Mbappe also needs to be effectively in entrance as France’s all-time main males’s scorer. He at the moment has 36 targets and World Cup teammate Olivier Giroud leads Les Bleus with 53.
By the point the subsequent World Cup comes round, Messi can be practically 39 and maybe retired from soccer altogether.
So the coast is obvious for Mbappe to pulverise World Cup scoring data.
However earlier than he begins fascinated by that he has the urgent matter of a primary Ballon d’Or to win, and it’s a tall order with Messi as his most important rival. However what a deal with in retailer for French soccer followers in the event that they each hold elevating their sport.
Mbappe performed for PSG 10 days after dropping the ultimate in Qatar, exhibiting nice dedication to place that defeat behind him.
The Ballon d’Or race has the makings of a basic contest between the teammates, since they have been each in fantastic kind for PSG earlier than heading to the World Cup.
Mbappe tops the league scoring charts with 13 targets and Messi is tied with PSG teammate Neymar for essentially the most assists (10). Mbappe is co-top scorer within the Champions League with seven targets, whereas Messi once more heads the assists chart with 4.
Messi gained the Champions League 4 instances with former membership Barcelona, the place he grew to become a famous person and scored 672 targets earlier than becoming a member of PSG final season.
PSG has by no means gained the Champions League and this might show a key think about Ballon d’Or consideration — particularly if Mbappe leads the French big to the European title.
If Messi doesn’t play Wednesday at dwelling, PSG’s subsequent sport is at Rennes on Sunday.
“He had an extraordinary World Cup with a lot of physical effort and challenges,” Galtier stated. ”We hope he’s prepared for (Angers).”
