The “eternal” combo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were praised by Paris Saint-Germain player Kylian Mbappe, who downplayed his rivalry with Erling Haaland.
- Messi and Ronaldo dominated debate for years
- Mbappe-Haaland comparisons drawn by some
- But Frenchman plays down rivalry
WHAT HAPPENED? Many have predicted that the record-breaking striker for Manchester City will compete with the Frenchman in a similar long-term battle posed by two of the best players in the history of the sport. The competition between Messi and Ronaldo has continued for over 20 years, and discussions about the so-called GOAT are still going on today. Mbappe, meanwhile, is eager to separate himself from comparisons to Haaland and choose to acknowledge the “amazing period” that Messi and Ronaldo contributed to instead.
WHAT THEY SAID: Asked by La Gazzetta dello Sport whether the Mbappe-Haaland battle can match that held by two players who boast a combined 12 Ballons d’Or, the Frenchman replied: “Things should be read differently. It happens perhaps every fifty years or more to have two players like Messi and Ronaldo at such levels for so long. We lived through an exceptional era and I hope the fans took advantage of it. I was lucky enough to play against Cristiano and then against and together with Leo: they are truly special. I learned a lot from them, especially with Messi in these two seasons. They wrote the history of football: they are eternal.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: As Mbappe mentions, the 24-year-old spent a “special” two years at PSG with Messi, but both appear to be heading towards the exit doors at the Parc des Princes this summer – albeit to different extents. The Argentina star confirmed his departure to MLS last week with an unprecedented deal to join Inter Miami. Mbappe’s future, meanwhile, is once again up in the air, as the 2018 World Cup winner reportedly wants to stay in Paris just one more season – but PSG want to cash in this summer.
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WHAT NEXT? It looks set, then, to be another busy transfer window in the French capital, and the same can be said for Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. A number of world superstars have already sealed moves to the Gulf state, while the Portuguese has seen Chelsea duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Hakim Ziyech linked with his current employers, Al-Nassr.
