ATLANTA — In a World Cup designed to cast the soccer spotlight broader than ever before, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have wasted no time delivering the kind of superstar performances that FIFA, television networks, and American fans have been hungry to see. Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and 18-year-old phenom Lamine Yamal have added to the excitement with their own jaw-dropping contributions.
If there is one thing American sports culture thrives on, it is the magnetism of a true superstar — someone whose individual talent and personality can elevate an entire event. Messi has answered that call emphatically, becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history just two matches into the tournament.
The nearly 39-year-old struck a hat-trick as Argentina rolled past Algeria 3-0, then kept the momentum going on Monday. Even a missed penalty could not overshadow the sense that Messi is savoring every moment of what is almost certainly his final World Cup appearance.
He scored both goals in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria, pushing his career World Cup tally to 18. Hot on his heels is France’s Mbappe, who is closing the gap quickly.
ONE STAR INSPIRES ANOTHER
Mbappe scored twice as France defeated Senegal 3-1, then added two more in Monday’s 3-0 victory over Iraq, leaving him just two goals behind Messi on the all-time list. After a challenging season at club level, the 27-year-old Real Madrid forward appears reinvigorated, playing with visible joy and confidence.
Spain’s Yamal has also captured the imagination of fans. Spain struggled to find the net in a scoreless tie against Cape Verde without him, but when the 18-year-old returned Sunday for his first start in two months, the buzz inside Atlanta Stadium was unmistakable.
Fans rose to their feet as Yamal opened the scoring to spark Spain to a commanding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia. Spain had the match wrapped up by halftime, enabling the coaching staff to take Yamal off — a player who performs with a freedom that suggests he feels no burden from the enormous expectations placed on him.
Messi made his World Cup debut back in 2006, and now, two decades later, Yamal — wearing the same number 19 jersey — looks poised to carry that torch forward.
Norway’s Haaland has also shaken off any early nerves in his debut World Cup, tallying four goals across two matches. He bagged a brace in the 4-1 win over Iraq and did it again in Monday’s 3-2 thriller against Senegal.
Haaland and Mbappe are set to square off Friday when Norway and France clash for the top spot in Group I, with both prolific strikers eager to extend their leads in the scoring race.
Meanwhile, Kane’s two-goal effort against Croatia drew him level with Gary Lineker at 10 World Cup goals for England, making the Golden Boot chase one of the tournament’s most compelling subplots.
Four years ago, Mbappe and Messi dominated the tournament. Mbappe led all scorers with eight goals — one more than Messi — yet it was the Argentine who lifted the trophy after a final in which even Mbappe’s hat-trick was not enough to tip the scales. A rematch between the two nations is beginning to look like a genuine possibility, though this World Cup may also crown an entirely new hero in a country that has always had a soft spot for rising young talent.
