Something changed on Planet Football on 18 December 2022. Whilst that date will forever be remembered as the day Argentina won their third FIFA World Cup™, it also marked a turning point for two of the greatest footballers in the history of the competition, for on that night in Lusail, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe took their rivalry to a whole new level.
Before the showpiece, which the Albiceleste won 4-2 on penalties, Messi was eighth in the competition’s all-time scoring charts on 11 goals, alongside Hungary’s Sandor Kocsis and Germany’s Jurgen Klinsmann. Mbappe was not even in the top ten.
By the end of one of the greatest finals of all time, the Argentinian had scored a brace, to which the Frenchman responded with an unforgettable hat-trick. The world looked on in wonder as the two men wrote a major chapter in the history of the tournament. But no one realised that this was, in fact, only the beginning.
“Mbappe already has the peace of mind that comes from having won it,” Messi said after that spectacular final. “As for me, I experienced things differently. Even though what he did in the final was incredible, and not winning the World Cup must have been hard to take, I’ve been there too. Reaching the final in 2014 and not winning it was torture.”
Four years on, the two continue to push the boundaries of their sport. Their first two matches at the have seen them continue their rise up the all-time scoring charts. A hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria, followed by a brace in a 2-0 victory against Austria, saw Messi overtake Miroslav Klose (16 goals) to become the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer with 18 goals on Monday, 22 June.
When asked about his new record and his favourite World Cup goal, the man from Rosario chose to put the team’s achievement into perspective, as is his custom: “Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t really even remember them. I’m tired, I don’t have much energy left and I’m finding it hard to think straight. I’m just going to enjoy this moment and celebrate it with my team-mates.
"I’m making the most of the moment and I want to see how far we can go together. Today, there was that [missed] penalty, but perhaps I wouldn’t have scored the other goals if it had gone in.”
If, after a well-deserved rest, Messi does take the time to look back, he won’t just see Klose. Although it will come as no surprise to him, he will also see Kylian Mbappe.
For whilst the 38-year-old Argentine has made a dazzling start to the tournament, his former Paris Saint-Germain team-mate is not being outdone. Having scored consecutive braces in France’s 3-1 and 3-0 wins over Senegal and Iraq, respectively, the French captain has already equalled Klose’s tally of 16 World Cup goals, despite playing in three fewer editions than the German legend.
“I already knew Leo was going to score goals – he’s Leo Messi, he always scores, Mbappe said in response to his former PSG team-mate’s hat-trick. “He’s the one who holds the record; I’m behind him. I’m going to keep trying to score to help my team get as far as possible. Of course, by scoring goals, you get closer to that sort of record. But the most important thing for me is to take my team as far as possible.”
The admiration between the two men is clearly mutual, and their rivalry lends a special flavour to this race to break records. Whether it was when they were team-mates in the French capital or today, Mbappe has never hidden his admiration for the Argentinian legend.
“Lionel Messi is the best player in the world alongside Cristiano [Ronaldo],” said the Frenchman on the eve of the match against Iraq, after being asked to name who he thinks deserves that mantle. “Over 15 years, he has demonstrated his incredible qualities. As for me, I’m simply trying to do my best and show what I’m capable of on the biggest stage. I’m trying to help my team win the World Cup.”
Four years on from that legendary clash in Lusail, the story remains, ultimately, the same. Even though the world thought he had already achieved everything, Messi continues to make history, whilst Mbappe seems determined to rewrite it. Remarkably, should France and Argentina meet again in the final in New York New Jersey on 19 July, it would mean that the two legends still have six matches left to add to their tallies. So perhaps the records haven’t finished falling just yet.
Sources: FIFA Official
