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This World Cup might have been billed as the last chapter in the long rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s, but as the final between France and Argentina looms it makes clear that that was never the story. This tournament is a passing of the torch between soccer’s elite. As Messi pushed Argentina to the final with Ronaldo crashed out against Morocco in the round of 16, still seeking his first goal in the knockout stage of any World Cup, any debate about which legend is greater should be long settled.
Not only did Ronaldo lose his starting role with Portugal during the World Cup but he’s also training alone at Real Madrid due to not having a club currently after forcing his was out of Manchester United. Meanwhile, Messi could return to PSG with a World Cup title in hand preparing to chase a Ligue 1 and Champions League titles. In their careers, Messi and Ronaldo have had similar accolades and goal scoring numbers, but Messi’s contributions when it comes to assists and what he does with the ball dwarf Ronaldo’s. In fewer club matches played, Messi has 332 assists to Ronaldo’s 223. Messi is the GOAT, Ronaldo was one of the best players in the world. It’s simply not the same thing.
As Messi continues putting his greatness on display during this, his last, World Cup, it’s time to look to the future for what’s to come. Messi has been so great for so long that players younger than him have come, player the whole prime of their career, turned thirty and begun to slow down all while waiting to pass the torch. International stars like Neymar or Thomas Muller or Karim Benzema have had entire careers subsumed under the Messi vs. Ronaldo discussion. But father time can only be delayed, he cannot be defeated. The World Cup final between Argentina and France is a bit of a passing of the torch to the next generation.
Messi will line up across from Kylian Mbappe of France. The PSG man already has 218 club goals and 110 assists in only 298 senior career games. Possibly about to hoist his second consecutive World Cup title, there is no denying Mbappe’s greatness as he registers a goal involvement almost every 20 minutes. Outside of the World Cup, in the club game, Erling Haaland, Manchester City’s Norwegian striker, might be ready to challenge Mbappe as things move to the youth of the game, but it’s really those two and nobody else. The names will change but the debate between two attackers sitting on top of the game will live on.
At only 23, Mbappe is just getting started but he has already accomplished more than what most players will in their entire careers though he will have quite a way to go to fully enter Messi’s stratosphere. The two PSG teammates squared off in the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup in Russia with Mbappe scoring a brace to see off Argentina 4-3. With a World Cup title on the line, Lionel Scaloni and Messi will want to get past France this time and the stage is set for Messi to win the trophy he lacks while also leaving an appropriate heir to his greatness in Mbappe. France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, however, thinks that Mbappe’s time is now.
“For me, Kylian is the best… and he will prove it on Sunday,” he said to TyC Sports, adding: “We’re all going to work together to achieve it. We’re going to make a plan, recover well and work to win this game because Messi will be there, but he also has 10 other players by his side.”
Those are strong words to back up, but with France having a chance to repeat, it’s fair that they have swagger on their side. Only Brazil and Italy have won back to back World Cups before and most recent World Cup champions didn’t even make it past the round of 16. But France has defied history along the way to produce a final for the ages.
Regardless of who wins this final, however, the debate between Messi and Ronaldo has well and truly ended.. And as Messi’s time at the top of the game begins to wind down, the torch is being past to Mbappe. Long may he reign…unless Erling Haaland does.
