Messi, Mbappé and Haaland light up World Cup with dazzling displays
TLE DESK: Football’s biggest stars delivered another memorable day at the World Cup as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland all produced match-winning performances to underline their status among the game’s elite.
Messi struck twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria to become the outright leading scorer in World Cup history with 18 goals. The Argentine captain’s latest brace came just days after his hat-trick against Algeria and helped secure Argentina’s place in the knockout stage.
France forward Mbappé also scored twice in a 3-0 win over Iraq, moving level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals and keeping alive the race to challenge Messi’s record.
Not to be outdone, Norway striker Haaland netted twice in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Senegal, taking his tally to four goals in his first World Cup campaign.
The trio have now combined for 13 goals in the tournament, with Messi leading the Golden Boot standings on five, while Mbappé and Haaland have four each.
Haaland’s latest display highlighted his growing influence on the international stage. After a frustrating first half in which he hit the post and missed another chance, the Manchester City forward responded with two goals early in the second period to inspire Norway to victory.
“He is the best striker,” Norway coach Ståle Solbakken said. “He is not playing for France or Argentina. He scores for Norway.”
The 25-year-old has now scored in 12 consecutive competitive matches for Norway and continues to drive his country’s hopes in its first World Cup appearance since 1998.
“Let’s be happy, every single Norwegian on the planet,” Haaland said. “I’m part of something special. Norway’s part of something special. We’re making history.”
Despite intense marking from Senegal’s defenders, Haaland found space after the interval and demonstrated his trademark finishing ability. His second goal, a powerful effort that struck the crossbar before crossing the line, sparked wild celebrations among Norway supporters.
Senegal defender Ismail Jakobs acknowledged the challenge of containing the prolific striker.
“He’s one of the best strikers in the world,” Jakobs said. “We tried to make things difficult for him, but you can see what happens when he gets chances.”
With Messi rewriting records, Mbappé maintaining his pursuit and Haaland announcing himself on football’s biggest stage, the race for World Cup glory and the Golden Boot is rapidly becoming a contest between three of the sport’s brightest stars.
