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Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland are considered the two footballers who will inherit the legendary rivalry of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, ahead of their clash at the 2026 World Cup, it is clear that the duel between the Frenchman and the Norwegian has yet to reach the dimensions that many had predicted.
However, the World Cup could be the stage where this rivalry finally comes to life. After just two group stage matches, both forwards have scored doubles against Iraq and Senegal, scoring four goals each. Now they will face off in Boston in a match that will decide the winner of Group I and could also influence the race for the Golden Boot.
Despite having four goals each, Mbappé and Haaland remain behind Lionel Messi, who leads the scoring list with five goals after a hat-trick and a brace in Argentina's first two matches.
Different leagues, no direct confrontation
One of the main reasons the rivalry hasn't reached historic proportions is the fact that they play in different leagues. Haaland is Manchester City's attacking leader in the Premier League, while Mbappé is Real Madrid's rising star in La Liga.
Unlike Messi and Ronaldo, who for years faced off every season in the "El Clasico" between Barcelona and Real Madrid, Mbappé and Haaland only meet in the Champions League or in the competition for individual awards. It is precisely the lack of frequent duels that has meant that their rivalry does not take on the same intensity.
Even the careers with the national teams have been very different. For Mbappé, this is his fifth World Cup, while he won the trophy in 2018 as a teenager.
On the other hand, Haaland is playing his first major tournament with Norway at the age of 25, after his country failed to qualify for major competitions for years. This has meant that the rivalry between them has not developed on the international stage, as it did with Messi and Ronaldo.
Unlike the often tense rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo during the "El Clasico" years, Mbappé and Haaland have consistently shown respect for each other.
In 2023, Haaland declared: "Mbappé is phenomenal. He is very strong, very fast and has been playing at the highest level for years. He still has many years ahead of him."
Even Mbappé has avoided comparisons, emphasizing that he and Haaland have completely different roles on the field.
Haaland is a typical center forward, who excels inside the box and in quick attacks. Mbappé, meanwhile, has often been activated as a winger, utilizing his speed and ability to create chances from any position.
The Frenchman himself has previously stated that the comparison between them is not fair, as he has played in several different roles during his career.
They don't want to be compared to Messi and Ronaldo either.
Both footballers have been cautious when asked if they are the successors of Messi and Ronaldo.
Haaland has admitted that it is almost impossible to repeat the achievements of the two legends.
"We have to understand how crazy the things Messi and Cristiano have done have been. They continue to play at a high level even today. I don't see myself in competition with other players, but only with the best version of myself."
Mbappé was also in the same line.
"Messi is the best player, along with Cristiano Ronaldo. I only think about winning the World Cup with France. Debates about comparisons belong to journalists."
Although they haven't met often, their encounters in the Champions League have been spectacular.
Mbappé eliminated Haaland's Borussia Dortmund with PSG in the 2019/20 season, and then shone with Real Madrid, scoring a hat-trick against Manchester City in the 2024/25 season.
Haaland, however, has a significant career advantage, having already won the Champions League with Manchester City in 2023, while Mbappé is still awaiting his first European trophy.
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