The crucial final will be played on Sunday between Argentina and France. Although Messi is the favorite of most football fans across the globe, Kylian Mbappe is the dark horse.
Both Messi and Mbappe are in the race for the Golden Boot. First, it was Mbappe who was closer to the Golden Boot with 5 goals, ahead of Argentina’s Messi and his teammate Oliver Giroud who scored 4 goals each.
Messi equalized the goals of Mbappe in the semi-final match against Croatia.
Messi assisted 3 goals for his team while Mbappe assisted 2 goals. The final match will be not between Argentina versus France, but, it would be between Messi and Mbappe.
Argentina is hoping to win the FIFA World cup for the third time. They have won the Cup 36 years ago in 1986. While Franch too is hoping to win the Cup for the third time.
In fact, France is the defending champion of the FIFA World Cup. They have won in 2018. If France lifts the Cup, then they will become the third team in the FIFA World Cup history after Italy and Brazil who successfully defend the title in 1934-1938 and 1958-1962 respectively.
Records of Messi
After his senior debut in August 2005, Lionel Messi became the youngest Argentine to play and score in a FIFA World Cup in 2006. Messi has never won the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot, yet he has won 6 European Golden Boots playing for Barcelona. Besides, Messi received a record seventh Ballon d’Or on 29 November 2021
Messi led Argentina to three consecutive finals: the 2014 FIFA World Cup, for which he won the Golden Ball, and the 2015 and 2016 Copa América, winning the Golden Ball in the 2015 edition.
After announcing his international retirement in 2016, he reversed his decision and led his country to qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, a third-place finish at the 2019 Copa América, and won the 2021 Copa América, while winning the Golden Ball and Golden Boot award for the latter.
Records of Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe made his senior debut for France in 2017, at age 18. At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Mbappe became the youngest French player to score at a World Cup, and became the second teenager, after Pele, to score in a World Cup Final. He finished as the joint second-highest goalscorer as France won the tournament, and won FIFA World Cup Best Young Player and French Player of the Year for his performances.
Mbappe was awarded the Globe Soccer Best Player of the Year in 2021. He has won the Golden Boy in 2017, Ligue 1 Player of the Year three times, and has finished as the Ligue 1 top scorer for four seasons.
Post-FIFA World Cup 2022
Messi has confirmed that he will hang up his boots from international football after the final of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 on Sunday.
Messi has played at the senior level since 2005 which is almost 17 years. He even announced retirement way back in 2016. Mbappe has many years to play for France, in fact, Mbappe debuted at the senior level in 2017 which is hardly 5 years ago.
Will Messi’s journey end with the FIFA Golden Boot which is the only title he missed? Will Mbappe wins the Golden Boot and continues to reign the FIFA Cup in the days to come? Let’s wait for Sunday.