Source :- THE AGE NEWS
There is a battle for the ages brewing at the World Cup, and it has nothing to do with national rivalries or geopolitics.
The showdown captivating fans is the race for the Golden Boot, as living legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo battle it out with younger superstars Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to be top-scorer at this year’s tournament.
Adding to the drama, England’s Harry Kane and Brazil’s Vinicius Junior are also within reach, although Kane missed the mark in his nation’s 0-0 draw with Ghana on Wednesday.
The all-time World Cup scoring record is also in play, which Messi holds with 18 goals (adding five already at this year’s event), ahead of Mbappe on 16.
Ronaldo has 10 career goals at the World Cup, so the Portuguese champion would need an almighty performance in the latter rounds to catch them.
Neither Messi nor Ronaldo have won the cup’s Golden Boot in their illustrious careers, although Messi was on track in 2022 before Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the final to claim it, leaving Messi to make do with winning the World Cup and the Golden Ball as best player.
But FIFA couldn’t have scripted this tournament better as Messi, at age 39, scored his first World Cup hat-trick in Argentina’s opening game before breaking the record for World Cup goals in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Austria.
While Messi leads with five goals, Mbappe, 27, posted his fourth goal in France’s 3-0 win over Iraq and Haaland scored two goals in Norway’s 3-2 win over Senegal on Tuesday to take his tally to four.
Haaland is known for his towering self-belief, and it was on display as he held his man-of-the-match trophy.
“It’s my specialty to score goals,” Haaland said. “I’m just really good at scoring goals.”
After the critics came out for Ronaldo following Portugal’s shock draw with Congo – and a goalscoring drought that had extended to 10 matches in major finals for the 41-year-old – he burst into life with two goals in the 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan on Wednesday.
SBS commentator and former Ghana star Kevin-Prince Boateng said it the best after the victory.
“That’s why we watch him because we know he is a goalscorer,” Boateng said.
“But all of these guys, they are not normal. It is not normal the numbers they put up and the records they are breaking.
“I scored one goal at the World Cup and people still bring it up with me. It is that special to score at a World Cup, and they just do it on the daily [basis].
“Every game it is two goals, three goals. It looks easy. It shows me this is a different level of football.”
Haaland’s Norway have qualified for the first time since 1998, and they clash with France on Saturday.
Norway and France have both won two games and will progress to the next round, but Haaland played down the match-up.
“We’re through [to the next round], which is incredible,” Haaland said. “So I couldn’t care too much about that game now. They [France] are probably going to win against us, they’re probably going to win the whole tournament.”
The superstar scorers have taken centre stage in their quest to claim the World Cup, but what will likely decide the Golden Boot will be how long their teams can stay alive.
As Haaland noted, Norway will be making history if they go beyond the round of 16 while it would be a shock if France and Argentina don’t go deep as they did in 2022 when they played off in the final.
As debate rages over which is player is the best, Norway coach Stale Solbakken said Haaland was the best striker in the international game because he wasn’t surrounded by superstars as he is in club soccer, where he plays for EPL giants Manchester City.
“He is the best striker,” Solbakken said. “He’s not playing for France or Argentina. He scores for Norway.”
Mbappe has long professed his admiration for Messi, and he said the early stages had shown who is still the best in the game.
Although if the French superstar is holding the World Cup aloft in a few weeks time, his may change his tune.
“It’s clear,” Mbappe said. “[Messi] is the best in the world.”
With AP
Get across our World Cup coverage
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
