Kylian Mbappé

CHRIS SUTTON: I will be at the Lusail Stadium to watch this showdown between the 35-year-old genius and 23-year-old future of football.

He is the man for France, as Messi is for Argentina. At 35, Messi saves himself for the big moments and the Argentina team compensate for that. The build-up to France's opening goal against England showed he knows when to pass and who to. But he is a phenomenal passer, too. Mbappe is second on 22. Messi is first on 27. If Messi and Mbappe - and me - were in a 100metre race, we all know who would win. We don't think of Messi as a speedster. I don't think there is a more satisfying sight in football than Mbappe driving forward at pace. These two equally know where the goal is and how to find it. But Mbappe knows where the goal is, too. [Antoine Griezmann](/sport/antoine-griezmann/index.html).

Kylian Mbappé had time to check on a stricken fan and a heartbroken friend as France reached back-to-back World Cup finals for the first time in their ...

On both previous occasions, against the Dutch in 1978 and West Germany in 1986, Argentina have won the World Cup — and both times they scored three goals in doing so. In a somewhat quirky stat, this will be the third time that Argentina have met a team in a World Cup final that is playing in their second consecutive final. All up, six teams have reached consecutive finals, Italy (1934, 1938), Brazil (1958, 1962), The Netherlands (1974, 1978) and Argentina (1986, 1990) including two teams that have reached three in a row, West Germany (1982, 1986, 1990) and Brazil (1994, 1998, 2002). They are the first team since Brazil in 2002 to reach back-to-back finals, and first team from Europe to do so since West Germany did in 1990. If were be honest, the closest the two are likely to get to each other on the field will be when they shake hands pre-game and (presumably) give each other a hug post-game, such is their propensity to stay in their allotted positions up field. It was not clear who struck the ball, but it was Mbappé who went over to check on him.

Kylian Mbappe has led France to a second consecutive World Cup final in a dream heavyweight bout with Lionel Messi's Argentina after beating Morocco 2-0 in ...

The north Africans were hit hard by injuries to their key centre-backs. Mbappe was the creator of the second as he attempted first to dribble through the Morocco defence and then shot, his effort deflected but falling kindly for Kolo Muani to net. France had control of the contest from the first five minutes of the game when Theo Hernandez scored in the fifth minute in a perfect start for the holders, who would have been looking for an early strike to silence the rowdy Moroccan support at the Al Bayt Stadium and dent the confidence of their opponents. It was a brilliant moment of desperation by Amrabat, but it wasn’t enough to write one more chapter in the north African nation’s fairytale book in Qatar. Mbappe went down and needed to be treated by medical staff, but was fine to play on for the rest of the game. Mbappe broke through from the back half to go on a dazzling run down the left side of the field, flirting with the left sideline by mere inches.

As far as football friendships go, they don't come much more wholesome than that between Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi.

The players have both recorded a top speed of 35.3 km/h (21.93 m/h) so far in Qatar. Both Mbappe and Hakimi are renowned for their speed with the duo more than capable of leaving opponents in their dust. I have to kill him." PSG would win the return leg 2-0 with Mbappe and Hakimi only briefly crossing paths with the former used just as a substitute. That day, Hakimi started for Dortmund and Mbappe lined up for PSG as the Germans claimed a 2-1 win. The two struck up a fast friendship when Hakimi joined Mbappe at PSG in July 2021.

Kylian Mbappe raced to the aid of a France fan after accidentally hitting him with a wayward shot before their World Cup semi-final win over Morocco.

[The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20758852/kylian-mbappe-hit-fan-ball-world-cup/) and was reproduced with permission. [a 2-0 win to send France into the World Cup final against Argentina](https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/world-cup/world-cup-live-france-vs-morocco-semifinal-updates/news-story/025e4f86e1e02f9a39dda26635fd098e). [The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20758852/kylian-mbappe-hit-fan-ball-world-cup/) reports. But one of his attempts to get his range resulted in him booting the ball square in the face of a Les Bleus fan, Kylian Mbappe raced to the aid of a France fan after accidentally hitting him with a wayward shot before their World Cup semi-final win over Morocco. Kylian Mbappe rushes to check on fan after smashing him in the face

France forward Kylian Mbappe went over to check on a fan in distress after kicking a ball into his face during the warm-up. Pic: Getty.

The supporter had to be held up by others around him after the brutal strike rocked him.

We know they’ll have a lot of support in the crowd. “The work I did on vacation and later with (club side Atletico Madrid) did me good, it was what I needed. “Any team with Messi is a different proposition. “They have a strong side around Messi. “Mbappe has just given some poor bloke a journeyman boxer’s career worth of brain trauma,” another said. The Paris Saint-Germain star was forced to rush to the aid of a fan who just bore the brunt of a wayward Mbappe shot, which hit the oblivious man in the face.

Not since the 1998 showdown between Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo has a World Cup final promised such a heavyweight clash.

Such is the collection of names on this list, this match-up is the worst of the bunch. Returns for the Round of 16 in February 2023, with all matches streaming ad-free, live and on demand. All bases were covered and unlike some successful German teams of the past, they played a brand of football that was very easy on the eye. His haircut was worse, but everything else was fitting for this master of the game. He was just 19, but all the signs were there from Mbappe. After the horrors of 1998, Ronaldo needed, and deserved, something better. On paper, this should have been the daddy of them all. German fans think otherwise, but this match wasn’t one they’ll be replaying when trying to explain the beauty of the world game to aliens. Maradona was now firmly the biggest deal in a game that would never be the same. Thankfully, this wasn’t Ronny’s final appearance on the sport’s grandest stage. Pasadena’s Rose Bowl was more thorns than petals for Baggio as his decisive spot-kick sailed over the bar to kick-start the Samba dancing. He didn’t appear on the team sheet, but then he did.

When Lionel Messi greets Kylian Mbappe ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday, it's fair to say that we won't see the same warmth the Frenchman sh.

Messi and Mbappe have both passed the ball to Neymar and Marco Verratti more than to each other this season, as the so-called ‘MNM’ front-line hasn’t proved to be the match made in heaven many were expecting. PSG began their season on fire with 10 goals in two games, and Messi already looked a different player to the 2021/22 vintage, but Mbappe needed to put him back in his place. Despite that rare gift, Mbappe has still provided a single league goal for Messi this season, compared to six the other way, while there’s arguably been revenge in the even finer details. Messi struggled massively in his first campaign in France, posting his lowest goal and assist numbers since 2007, while Neymar stepped aside to let Mbappe lead the charge domestically and in Europe. Mbappe and Messi represent the only two remaining active PSG players in Qatar out of the 11 that travelled, and will be tussling for their place at the very top of the sport on Sunday. The 23-year-old superstar has already made his mark by picking up a bigger salary in Paris than the two footballing giants, and has previously strained to make his position clear.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup final will see two superstars of the game go head-to-head, as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe look to fire their nations to glory.

0 assists Mbappe stats Messi stats The then-Barcelona star missed a penalty just before halftime as the match ultimately ended 1-1. Assists Mbappe scored a second-half double that day while Messi was unable to get on the scoresheet but did claim two assists.

The superstar forward ran over to apologize before leading France to a 2–0 semifinal victory over Morocco.

Mbappé launched an errant shot in warmups that reportedly hit a French fan in the face. He responded by climbing into the stands, apologizing to the fan while he was surrounded by nearby spectators. The 23-year-old has five goals this tournament, tied with Argentina forward and Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi for the most in Qatar.

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are club team-mates at Paris Saint-Germain but are not close. Picture: STUFF SPORTS. It is remarkable to think that, come Sunday ...

But if Mbappe wins the World Cup with France, who play Olivier Giroud at centre forward, a man he loves playing alongside, it may convince him to think about his future again. At the same time PSG are well aware that this, finally, might be his last season with them and having secured him on a new deal, up until 2025, they are prepared to sell if he wants to go and they receive an appropriate offer. Neymar, who is 30, is far closer to Messi than Mbappe is – as was evidenced in his exclusive interview with The Telegraph prior to the tournament – and given their history at Barcelona that is no surprise. Mbappe and Messi are not buddies, but neither is there any hostility. Similarly, should Messi be triumphant, it will hurt Mbappe, who is rightly regarded as the best player in the world at present and whose ambition burns brightly. The futures of Messi and Mbappe are yet to be decided.