Lionel Messi will have a day with destiny on Sunday (December 18) as Argentina will take on France in the showdown final to decide who is the King of Football at the present time. The final content will reignite a brief rivalry between two clubmates, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe who will go head-to-head in the crunch battle. So with the Messi vs Mbappe battle to serve the treat on Sunday, it now remains to be seen who the real deal is.
Messi vs Mabppe battle of ages
As things stand, not only are Messi and Mbappe locked in for the Golden Boot battle race for most goals but are swift contenders to win the Golden Ball as well. They have been putting in shifts for their country and are one of the reasons why they will contest the final on Sunday.
Mbappe has been brilliant in the tournament having scored five goals same as many as his clubmate at Paris Saint-Germain Messi. However, it is the assist that keeps Messi ahead of the Frenchman as he has so far scalped three assists from his six matches. More importantly, it will be history on the cards for Messi no matter what happens on Sunday. He will surpass Lothar Matthäus’ record for most FIFA World Cup appearances with 26 while another fine display will see his legacy get forged as the greatest of all time.
Mbappe on the flip side has also been the shining light once more for France who have been curtailed with multiple injuries before and during the World Cup. Mbappe has two assists compared to Messi’s three while his overall play has been brilliant having chipped in with important goals at several points in the World Cup.
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Players in top form
Julian Alvarez has been the keen beneficiary of Messi’s excellence with four goals, while Olivier Giroud has been a fine wine getting better after every day. So with Messi and Mbappe certainly set for a big crunch battle, it will be sad to see one of them walking without the World Cup trophy in their hand. While France are the defending champions and are expected to give a run for their money, Argentina carry the weight of just not a nation contemplating to end its 36-year World Cup drought, but also a continent that has not seen World Cup glory since Brazil in 2002.
