On Sunday more than 3 billion people are estimated to watch the FIFA World Cup final between two-time champions Argentina and France. On display will be two of the biggest names in the sport, Argentina’s Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappé.
While one is considered one of the greatest, if not, the greatest soccer player ever, the other is hoping in 10 years to be in the discussion as an all-time great. It was said that it would take 50-years to see a Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo era again in the sport, but it has happened much sooner than many thought with the emergence of Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland.
Both Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé are starting to blow away stats at their young age, but along the way another player has continued his dominance and that player is Lionel Messi. While Messi’s career begins its inevitable curtain call, Mbappé’s is beginning to take center stage.
The comparisons are spot on
Lionel Messi in his club career to date has 706 goals in 863 games, for a goal ratio of 0.81, while Mbappé has 221 goals in 309 games for a goal ratio of 0.71. It is important to note that Mbappé’s strike rate is rising having scored 42 and 39 in the last two seasons and this season has 19 in 20 games. Mbappé is entering the prime of his career, while Messi has 12 in 19 games this season to go along with 11 and 38 goals before that.
Lionel Messi of Argentina in action with Dejan Lovren of Croatia during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 semi final match between Argentina and Croatia. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
At the height of his powers Messi had scored 53,73, and 60 goals in three seasons a feat Mbappé is still well off.
At the international level Mbappé is well on Messi’s track of being his national team’s all-time leading scorer, 33 goals in 65 matches to Messi’s 96 in 171 games.
Championships
Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal with Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain during the UEFA Champions League Round Of Sixteen (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
At the moment there is no comparison, but by the end of both of their careers it might be very similar, Messi has won 38 championships in his career at Barcelona, PSG, and Argentina. Mbappé has 14 with Monaco, PSG, and France, and while Messi can boast to have 4 UEFA Champions League’s, Mbappé can claim he has a FIFA World Cup.
While Messi has yet to win the FIFA World Cup, Mbappé did win it in 2018 and played a pivotal role in said championship scoring against Argentina twice and scoring 4 goals in the 2018 tournament.
Styles of play
Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
Messi is a player fans dream of, a dribbler, an artist, a creator on the field, this was evident in his assist on the third goal against Croatia in the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup. Messi was built for the unexpected.
Mbappé is more of a polished forward, a player with immense athletic speed, dribbling, and a perfect shot, different but similar both have great attributes to win matches for their teams.
While it’s too early to say who is better than who, or what is the place of each of these great players in the sport, one thing is for certain both players defined a generation. One became the greatest player of his era and possibly the sport. The other is starting to challenge that claim and may be one of the best, if not the best, when it’s all said and done.
