As the last round of games comes around before the knockout rounds kick off in renewed fervour, Group I promises one more exciting clash between ex-champions and the emerging darkhorses of the tournament. Norway faces France in their respective last game in the group, both on six points, and both have qualified for the upcoming round of 32.
If you compare the fortunes of the two, they are a David VS Goliath matchup. But among both teams, two individuals emerge, touted as this generation’s answer to the Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo slugfest.
As Erling Braut Haaland and Kylian Mbappe lace their boots and walk out to the Boston Stadium at 3 p.m. ET, the grandest stage is set for both to come face to face and produce a long-expected battle of speed vs power.
What to Expect?
Norway comes into this game after a successful first World Cup campaign, after their first one, way back in 1998. After back-to-back victories over Iraq and Senegal, confirming their place in the knockout stages, spirits run high. Led by their captain, Martin Ødegaard, and top of two braces by their biggest star, Haaland, the Vikings look to take the fight to the French.
France comes into this game without their coach, Didier Deschamps, due to family commitments. But they continue to be the overwhelming favorites in this matchup, as many tout them to go the whole way to recreate their 2018 win. Mbappe too has notched up two back-to-back braces.
The Power-Based Haaland Profile
When it comes to side-by-side comparison, both players have widely different styles and roles within their club and country. Haaland, 25, is the ultimate penalty-box poacher, whose expert movement behind the opposite defense means he is almost always in the right place at the right time.
Haaland, like Messi, can often be seen moving slowly and not being directly involved with play. But while Messi does drop deep and carry the ball forward in a split second, Haaland stays deep in the opponent’s half. His sheer presence is enough to unsettle the defence to adapt to his movement or threat of movement, which can provide teammates with that extra yard of space to work with.
Haaland is not just a single-faceted player, but he generally finishes off his team’s well-crafted moves. He is also a threat on the quick counter-attacks, where he accelerates away from defenders and finishes calmly past a one-on-one goalkeeper.
The Speed-Based Mbappe Profile
Mbappe, 27, is a much more versatile player who is a livewire threat on all fronts of the pitch. He is happy to roam around to get on the ball, dribble, and take on players one-on-one and shoot from all angles, including long rangers.
He has the knack to change games single-handedly from almost anywhere in the opponent’s half, but is also a clinical finisher inside the box and has the hunger to score plenty of goals, including beautiful golazos.
The ‘Les Blues” striker has played on both wings for Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team. He has also donned the role of a center forward who drops deep to carry the ball on occasions and plays as a center forward for his current Real Madrid CF mostly.
World Cup Exploits So Far
Haaland is playing his first World Cup for Norway at the age of 25. He has played a vital part in guiding his country to the World Cup for the first time after their 1998 World Cup campaign, when he wasn’t even born.
Mbappe, who is now 27, is playing in his 3rd World Cup, with him tasting glory in his debut World Cup as a teenager by winning the 2018 World Cup. He reached the final of the 2022 World Cup only to lose to Lionel Messi and his history-making “La Albiceleste”, in one of the most exciting World Cup finals in which Mbappe scored a hat-trick but in a losing cause.
Lionel Messi, at the ripe age of 39-years-old lead the World Cup scoring charts with 5 goals, including a hat-trick in the first game, and a brace in the following game. Brazil’s Vinicus Jr too has 5 goal contributions with 4 goals and an assist to go with it.
Haaland and Mbappe, if not rested for the final group game, stand the chance to outscore one of the GOATs in Messi, as both of them also have 4 goals to their names respectively. All the world’s eyes are on these two shining lights of the modern attacking brand of football.
