Featured Image Credit: PA Images
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are leading football into a post Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi world, but how exactly do they compare?
As far back as I can remember I always wanted to know whether Ronaldo or Messi was the best player in the world – well everyone else has been debating it anyway.
However the age of those two megastars is basically over now with the Portugal star in Saudi Arabia and the Argentine on the verge of moving to MLS.
With that in mind the new generation is bursting through to takeover and dominate football in the years to come with Mbappe and Haaland at the front of the charge.
There’s always plenty of debate about which forward fans would rather have in their team and much of the debate it similar to the one about Messi and Ronaldo and their styles of play.
Haaland is obviously considered the better goalscorer and it’s not surprise considering the record breaking season had with Manchester City during his debut career in the Premier League.
The Norwegian ended up with 36 goals in the league alone and 52 in just 53 games in all competitions, easily beating Mbappe’s own campaign.
The Frenchman notched up 29 strikes in Ligue 1 and finished with 41 in just 43 games as PSG once again fell short of European success whilst City achieved it.
Haaland celebrates one of his many goals. Image: PA Images
Both men started their careers in the same year with Haaland playing for Bryne and their reserve team and Mbappe playing for Monaco and their seconds.
In league games across Byrne, Molde, Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and City the 22-year-old has bagged 149 goals in 191 games whilst Mbappe has 148 in 176.
The former Dortmund man has a ratio of 1.17 goals per game in the Champions League with 35 strikes in just 30 appearances in the competition.
Mbappe has more goals with 41 strikes but he’s done that in 60 appearances, giving him a ratio of ‘only’ 0.66 goals per game.
Of course the City man can also call himself a European champion and that’s definitely a big advantage over his would be rival.
Mbappe celebrates. Image: PA Images
There’s no doubt who is better for his teammates when it comes to laying on goals for others, with Mbappe having 144 club assists to Haaland’s 44.
Aside from the Champions League title, Mbappe leads when it comes to trophies for their club, with six league titles and five cups to his name but there’s little doubt Haaland will do some catching up now he’s playing at the Etihad Stadium.
For their countries it is definitely no question which of them is leading the way when it comes to trophies on the mantelpiece.
France were helped to World Cup success by their number 10, who was also the leading goalscorer in the tournament in Qatar as they ended up as runner’s up to Argentina, though he did score a hat-trick in the final.
He does have 40 goals to his name as well when it comes to playing for Les Bleus but it’s in 70 appearances, whilst Haaland has 24 goals in just 25 caps.
So who’s better? The choice is yours.