Pete Sharland examines the matchup between Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, two PSG teammates, ahead of the World Cup final 2022. One is universally regarded as the greatest person to ever do it, and the other is his obvious successor. Although they won’t directly compete against one another, both of them will be extremely important for their respective nations and have a significant influence on how the game is played.
When all was said and done, the choice was between the youngster from Bondy and the quiet young boy from Rosario.
Now that you’ve understood it, it is clear that there are still 20 players on the field and two managers nearby. But it’s challenging to prevent that turn in the story.
After all, many people believe that Lionel Messi is the greatest player to ever play the sport. Additionally, Kylian Mbappe is the presumptive heir to his crown.
Although they are not precisely the same player, they do have one thing in common: the absolute terror they instill in the defenses of their opponents. Kylian Mbappe possesses a level of sheer acceleration that is uncommon elsewhere. He combines that with deadly finishing, whether he plays through the middle or out wide on the left. Messi has the same burst as Kylian Mbappe, though he will never reach that player’s top pace, and he also has remarkable close control and a keen eye for the game that few can match.
Despite the fact that they are teammates for PSG, this feels like a passing of the baton. This will be Messi’s final World Cup game, win or lose, he has already stated. It will be Kylian Mbappe’s second World Cup final appearance.
While Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. will likely compete against Kylian Mbappe over the course of the next ten years, there is currently no player in world football with more star power than Kylian Mbappe. He is the athlete that young people are modeling on FIFA and in their backyards. He has created the same kind of enchantment that can only be seen when watching the greats.
Let So how in the world do you manage to stop them both?
start with Messi, who has been playing nearly exclusively for Argentina in a central position during this World Cup, either as a No. 10 in a 4-2-3-1/4-4-2 formation or as a second striker in a 5-3-2 system. biggest method
Argentina doesn’t always control the ball in the same way as Barcelona and PSG do. Messi will probably move a little deeper to try to get involved if France’s midfield can keep the ball away from him.
The issue with this is that Messi is appearing at this World Cup in a slightly different light. He has consistently shown himself to be patient when necessary, and even when he hasn’t had the ball as much, he has still been ruthless. They must maintain a close bond with Messi, whether Adrien Rabiot or Youssouf Fofana is Aurelien Tchouameni’s companion. Given how rapidly he can flee, there is always a chance, but this is their greatest shot.
Kylian Mbappe hasn’t been France’s main attraction recently (more on who has in a moment), but he has the ability to put games away in an instant if you lose focus. What do you then?
Well, keep him as broad as you can, to begin with. Try to push him as wide as you can to keep him away from the goal. The worst thing that can happen is that you tuck in too narrow and he starts moving closer to the box. To help Nahuel Molina deal with Kylian Mbappe by doubling up, Rodrigo De Paul or Cristian Romero must be ready, depending on the configuration.
Antoine Griezmann is the other important component of Kylian Mbappe. There is no question that the Atletico Madrid player has been the finest player for the defending champions in this competition. He has been absolutely fantastic for Didier Deschamps in this hybrid No. 8/No. 10 position. Griezmann probably doesn’t enjoy it too much, but given his keen passing eye and tremendous work ethic, the position was built for him.
We would occasionally consider asking Enzo Fernandez to simply follow Griezmann wherever he goes in order to effectively take him out of the game. Leandro Paredes is unlikely to possess that quality and Griezmann has demonstrated during this tournament that he is more than willing to dive deep (at times, deeper than Tchouameni and Rabiot) and direct play from there. That implies that he occasionally may have too much room. It could be preferable for Fernandez to pursue him while Paredes serves as the deep destroyer.
So what about the future? Messi’s deal with PSG goes until 2023, but Kylian Mbappe’s is supposedly just for 2024, with an additional year’s option that can only be exercised by him. Before a probable emotional reunion in Rosario, Messi’s future appears to be in sunny Miami. At this point, a trip back to Barcelona looks unlikely. Kylian Mbappe’s sake? We have no idea at all.
But for Kylian Mbappe, the upcoming six months will be very crucial, win or lose. Is it possible for PSG to put together a package around him and manager Christophe Galtier that will convince him to commit long-term? Will Real Madrid reappear after being rejected? Will Liverpool or Manchester City make bold bids to get him to England? It is quite astonishing how little it is now being discussed and that no one seems to know.
But if he wants to establish his legacy, he only needs to ask Messi how important it is to have the appropriate supporting cast. Kylian Mbappe must now try to locate his before it’s too late because Haaland appears to have located that at City. If you win another World Cup, you can choose who to play. Lose? Heck, he’ll probably get to choose as well. That should serve as the best indicator possible of how close to Messi-like he is.
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