The top football players have been delivering exceptional performances so far at the 2026 World Cup. Kylian Mbappe netted twice in his team’s opening match of the tournament. Players like Vinicius Junior, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane have also scored two goals each after the first round of matches.
However, Leo Messi went one step further, achieving a hat-trick in his first game of the competition. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to find the back of the net.
This Monday (June 22), France is set to face Iraq. During a pre-match press conference, Kylian Mbappé was asked who he considers the best footballer in the world right now. He was presented with options that included himself, Messi, Kane, and Haaland.
The French forward’s response came as no surprise. He once again pointed to both Messi and Ronaldo as the top players, reiterating a stance he has expressed several times in previous interviews.
“Messi, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, are the best,” Mbappe said, as reported by Fabrizio Romano. Mbappe has been vocal about his ambition to get closer to breaking some of Messi’s records.
The Argentine recently equalled Miroslav Klose’s record for the most goals scored in the history of the World Cup, with both sitting at 16 goals. Chasing closely behind is Mbappe with 14 goals.
Given the difference in their ages, the French superstar is well-positioned to surpass Messi’s record in the near future. In the upcoming matches, the defending champions will go up against Austria.