Argentina vs France. Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappe. King vs heir to the throne. Script writers could hardly have come up with a better World Cup final storyline.
The player widely regarded as the greatest of his generation will face the man expected to be the best of his generation in a mouth-watering battle for football's top prize on Sunday night in Qatar. And it promises to be a fascinating battle between the two Paris Saint-Germain teammates.
The game represents Messi's final chance of international immortality as he looks to win the trophy Mbappe won as a teenager in Russia four years ago. It could also represent something of a symbolic changing of the guard as the 23-year-old looks to prove once and for all he is now the world's best.
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And that is something Mbappe has never been frightened to admit he wants to achieve. In fact, he has directly discussed his determination to lead the "new generation" in a cutting warning to Messi that his time at the top will soon come to an end.
Speaking in an interview with the New York Times, in September, Mbappe said: “I think I’m about to win it [the Ballon d’Or].
“I always say I dream about everything. I have no limits. So of course, like you say, it’s a new generation. And Ronaldo, Messi — you’re gonna stop. We have to find someone else, someone new.”
It is hard not to see that Sunday's World Cup final could represent the moment Mbappe's vision comes to life. Whilst Messi has dazzled for Argentina en route to the final, Mbappe has the chance to ruin his last shot at the one honour which has evaded him so far in his career.
On the flip side, Messi is in agreement that Mbappe is well-placed to be one of those who fills the void when his career comes to an end. Whilst he is unlikely to want that moment to arrive, he sees the potential of his teammate to be the very best.
“Kylian is a different player, a beast who is very strong in one-on-one, who goes into space, who is very fast, who scores a lot of goals," Messi told TUDN Mexico earlier this year. "He is a complete player and he has proved it for years, and in the years to come, he will certainly be among the best.”
The debate over the best player in the world is sure to rage on, with Messi showing this World Cup his days as one of the very best are far from over. But Mbappe's intentions to overhaul his teammate are clear. He sent a direct message outlining just earlier this year and now has the perfect opportunity to make that big ambition a reality.
