Thursday, June 25th 2026
Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland were considered as the two footballers who would inherit the legendary rivalry of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, ahead of their confrontation at the 2026 World Cup, it is clear that the duel between the French and the Norwegian has not yet reached the dimensions that many had predicted.
However, the World Cup could be the stage where this rivalry finally takes life. After just two games in the group stage, both strikers have scored two doubles each against Iraq and Senegal, scoring four goals each. They will now face each other in Boston in a match that will decide the winner of Group I and could also affect the race for the Golden Boot.
Despite having four goals each, Mbappé and Haaland are behind Lionel Messi, who leads the scorers list with five goals after a hat-trick and a brace in Argentina’s first two games.
Different leagues, missing the clash of live
One of the main reasons why the rivalry has not reached historical proportions is the fact that they play in different championships. Haaland is the leader of Manchester City’s attack in the Premier League, while Mbappé is the new star of Real Madrid in La Liga.
Unlike Messi and Ronaldo, who for years faced each season in “El Clasico” between Barcelona and Real Madrid, Mbappé and Haaland only meet in the Champions League or in the competition for individual awards. Precisely the lack of frequent duels has caused their rivalry to not take on the same intensity.
The national teams have followed different paths
Even the careers with the national teams have been very different. For Mbappé, this is the fifth World Cup, while he won the trophy as a teenager in 2018.
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 the biggest competitions for years. This has meant that the rivalry between them did not develop in the international arena, as happened with Messi and Ronaldo.
Unlike the often tense rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo during the “El Clasico” years, Mbappé and Haaland have constantly shown respect for each other.
“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, stressing that he and Haaland have completely different roles on the pitch.
Haaland is a typical centre-forward who excels inside the box and in quick attacks. Mbappé, meanwhile, has often been activated as a winger, using his speed and ability to create chances from any position.
The Frenchman himself has stated earlier that the comparison between them is not fair, as he has played in several different roles during his career.
They do not want to be compared to Messi and Ronaldo either
Both footballers have been cautious when asked if they are Messi’s successors 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 that Messi and Cristiano have done. They continue to play at a high level even today. I don’t see myself competing with other players, but only with the best version of myself.”
“Messi is the best player, along with Cristiano Ronaldo. I only think about winning the Cup The world with France. Debates about comparisons belong to journalists.”
Although they have not met often, their encounters in the Champions League have been spectacular.
Mbappé eliminated Haaland’s Borussia Dortmund with PSG in the 2019/20 season, while he also shone with Real Madrid, scoring a hat-trick against Manchester City in the season. 2024/25.
Haaland, however, has a significant career advantage: he has already won the Champions League with Manchester City in 2023, while Mbappé is still waiting for his first European trophy.
Can “El Clasico” ignite this rivalry?
A possible transfer of Haaland to Barcelona would completely change the panorama.
If the Norwegian regularly faced Mbappé e Real Madrid in “El Clasico”, then football could finally win the new rivalry that many fans have been waiting for years.
For now, however, Haaland is happy at Manchester City and a transfer does not seem imminent. Thus, their encounter at the 2026 World Cup remains the best opportunity to ignite a rivalry that has yet to reach the historic level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. /GazetaExpress/
Source: prizrenpost
