When Argentina and France played the round of 16 in 2018
At the World Cup in Russia, two traditional soccer powerhouses produced some of the most exciting games of the tournament. It was everything, from the amazing 80-yard run that led to an early penalty and a stunning 30-yard strike that tied it 1-1 just before halftime, to multiple lead changes. La Albiceleste and Les Breuse each scored a total of 7 goals on the day France won 4-3.
For Lionel Messi and Argentina, the final whistle at the Kazan Arena may have felt like a death knell. Goats turned 31 just days before the game begins, but their 30s are rarely as productive or physically kind as their 20s. In honor of the football gods, another World Cup took place without Messi lifting the lavish gold and malachite trophy to the sky. He didn't get a chance to do it again until he was thirty-five years old.
For France and prodigy Kylian Mbappe, the final whistle was evidence that the Blues were once again part of the world's elite squad and that the changing of the guard was well underway. Messi held up two assists for Argentina in the match, but both Mbappe goals took France to the quarter-finals and eventual World Cup title.
Of course, Messi's obituary turned out to be extremely premature. Since then, he has made 141 home league appearances
In that brutal defeat, 3 Messi scored 104 goals and added 67 assists
For a truly superhuman 1.2 goals per game, Mbappe, on the other hand, has scored 118 goals and 38 assists in 129 domestic league matches, beating Messi's outrageous goal participation rate of 1.2 per game.
And now we will see them all face off for the last time on the biggest stage in the global game, and it will be their first World Cup title since then. It will cement his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time. For Mbappe, that would call into question the legitimacy of the previous claim and sow the seeds of arguments to the contrary.
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