Argentina's Lionel Messi walks to training for the the World Cup soccer tournament Tuesday, June 23, in Kansas City, Kan. AP-Yonhap
Lionel Messi has been mesmerizing. Kylian Mbappé has been, well, magnifique.
Two of the biggest stars of the World Cup are setting records with history-making goals in a sizzling start that has even the most casual soccer fans in the U.S. taking notice.
Messi has five goals in Argentina's first two matches, setting the record for career World Cup goals with 18. Mbappé has scored four times for France, moving into a tie for second with 16 goals.
“Leo always scores,” Mbappé said. “He’ll always score. If I want to look at what Leo’s doing, I’ll have to do even more.”
They are not alone in hitting the back of the net. Norway's Erling Haaland already has four in his country's first two games at the World Cup since 1998. And Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo broke out with two goals against Uzbekistan on Tuesday to raise his career World Cup total to 10.
But Messi and Mbappé are the maestros making this World Cup their personal symphony. It's one they've been writing since the 2022 final in Qatar, when Messi scored twice and Mbappé three times before Argentina finally won on penalty kicks in a title game for the ages.
There should be plenty of music still to come from both. Argentina and France have already clinched spots in the elimination rounds, and both are among the favorites to win the tournament.
Messi is defying age in a young man's game
Messi has scored most of his World Cup goals at an age when most top scorers would be well past their prime.
Source: Korea Times News
