Mbappe choses Ronaldo to outscore Messi; picks himself to outscore Portugal icon in WC2026
New Jersey, June 8
France national team captain and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe has backed legendary Cristiano Ronaldo to outdo the defending champion Lionel Messi in terms of goals in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, but also tipped himself to be the top goal-scorer of the tournament ahead of Portugal icon.
In a series of rapid-fire questions in a football challenge with content creator Finn Agostinelli and Sorare on Instagram, the 27-year-old was asked to pick between Messi and Ronaldo after going through some of the best talents across Europe and South American football. In the battle between the World Cup-winning 'GOAT' Messi and Ronaldo, who is just one WC trophy short of levelling the 'Greatest of All Time' debate, Mbappe went with Cristiano.
Messi completed his lifelong dream of capturing the FIFA WC trophy in Qatar in 2022. Now, all the eyes are on 41-year-old Cristiano, who is coming after a prolific title-winning season with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, still thriving as a goal-scoring machine, having won it nearly all at club and international level, except a World Cup title.
During the rapid fire, he chose Cristiano over Messi. But when asked to choose between himself and Cristiano, Mbappe chose himself to outshine the 41-year-old, as per Goal.com.
Mbappe also showed backing to his Real Madrid teammate and Brazil superstar Vinicius Jr to outscore Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal and England skipper Harry Kane.
The 2026 WC has a lot of emotional weight for Mbappe, now the French skipper. In the 2022 final, despite his hat-trick and relentless counter-attack against Messi-led Argentina, Mbappe could not defend his side's 2018 crown. In a candid admission, Mbappe reveals that he avoids rewatching the match, saying that it "might awaken some demons".
Heading into the 2026 WC, Ronaldo and Messi, playing their record-breaking sixth World Cup, have eight and 13 FIFA World Cup goals each. The Portugal legend, however, has failed to score in a World Cup knockout game, and this is one stain that he would be aiming to wipe off his enviable resume as a footballer.
France is placed in Group I with Senegal, Iraq, and Norway, starting at the MetLife Stadium on June 16. Mbappe has already scored 12 goals across two WC appearances, including four in finals and is chasing the all-time record of Miroslav Klose with 16 goals.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, I think Mbappe is getting too cocky. He's a phenomenal player, but Ronaldo at 41 scoring in Saudi League is different from scoring in World Cup against top defenders. Messi proved himself in 2022, Ronaldo hasn't yet in knockouts. Let's see if Mbappe can back up this talk!
Classic footballer banter - I'm sure Messi and Ronaldo don't care what a 27-year-old thinks. But Mbappe backing Vinicius Jr over Kane and Yamal? Interesting choice. As a neutral, I just want to see great football in 2026. Also, India needs to qualify one day! 😅
Look, Mbappe is a generational talent but saying you'll outscore Ronaldo in a WC? That's a huge claim! Ronaldo's hunger for that WC trophy is unmatched. And Messi being the defending champion now adds so much drama. Can't wait for USA 2026 - hopefully we get some India-Pakistan moments in football too! 🇮🇳⚽
I have to disagree with Mbappe here. Messi proved his greatness by winning the WC, while Ronaldo still has that gap in his resume. Picking Ronaldo over Messi feels more like PR than logic. But hey, football is about opinions - let's see who performs when it matters! Arre yaar, bas ek baar India ko bhi WC mein khelte dekhna hai.
Mbappe's confidence is what makes him special. He
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