This World Cup has made clear that both players handle the pressure of a major tournament without flinching.
Despite the spotlight on Messi, it seems only a matter of time before Mbappe catches him at the top of the World Cup scoring charts.
The Frenchman is just two behind the 39-year-old, having scored 16 in 16 World Cup games. Crucially, Mbappe is 12 years Messi’s junior and, while you wouldn’t entirely rule out the Argentina legend returning in four years, this is probably his final World Cup.
Haaland is at his first World Cup and has settled in effortlessly.
He is the sixth player in World Cup history to score multiple goals in each of his first two appearances, and only the second to do so in the past 50 years, after Harry Kane for England in 2018.
His recent form for Norway has been remarkable as well: he has scored in 12 straight competitive internationals, including an incredible 16 goals in his last six matches.
On the international stage, Haaland has been the more prolific per game. Mbappe has an impressive 60 goals in 100 internationals, but the Norway striker is just one behind on 59 despite playing only 52 matches for his country — 48 fewer than Mbappe.
How do their styles compare?
Their tournament heat maps reveal where each does the bulk of his work on the pitch.