"He doesn't lace his boots" - Kylian Mbappe told he doesn't compare to Lionel Messi
Kylian Mbappe has been told he's not good enough to 'lace Lionel Messi's boots' with the two Paris Saint-Germain players set to go head-to-head in the World Cup final.
On Wednesday night, Mbappe was once again integral to France, as they got past Morocco to make it into the final, for the second time in-a-row.
The 23-year-old didn't add to his tally of five goals in the tournament so far but his jinking run setup substitute Randal Kolo Muani for the team's second goal, coming just seconds after Muani had come on for his first game in Qatar.
That set up a meeting with club teammate Messi in the final, with fans joking that the Argentina star could be sacked if he finally gets his hands on the World Cup trophy.
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Having not scored in the semi-final, Mbappe goes into the final level on five goals with Messi, with the two top of the scoring charts for the tournament.
That means that either man could end up winning the Golden Boot, whilst they'd also both be candidates for the Golden Ball and one of them will of course win the World Cup.
However, despite all of that, and the fact he's already won it, unlike his PSG colleague, Mbappe is apparently not good enough to lace the Argentine's boots, according to Damien Duff anyway.
"How good Messi is, the best version of Messi when he was 23, 24, 25 maybe, Mbappe doesn’t lace his boots," the former Chelsea winger told RTE.
"The best version of Messi, Mbappe still doesn’t touch Messi. That’s how good Messi was.
"That’s what I’m saying. The best version, when was that? When he was 23, 24. Messi is the best ever."
The comparison really comes down to the fact that Mbappe has long been regarded as the man to take the mantle of best in the world, once Messi hangs up his boots.
Duff was suggesting that the former Monaco star is not as good as Messi was around the same age, which is perhaps a tad unfair.
Not because Mbappe is that good, but just because you're comparing him to arguably the greatest player that's ever lived, a debate that will only be pumped up if Argentina win.
Of course the conversation was once again in the news this week, with Cristiano Ronaldo's own cheerleader once again trying to make a case for the Portugal star.
Messi has already confirmed that Sunday will be his final game in a World Cup, and he won't be carrying on until the next tournament in 2024.
That is due to be held in USA, Mexico and Canada, and the PSG star admitted he's happy to be ending on a final, rather than dragging things on for three and a half years, saying, "I am very happy for finishing my journey in World Cups in a final, to play the last game in a final. That is really very gratifying.
"...There are a lot of years from this year to the next one. I don't think I will be able to do that. To finish this way is brilliant."
Topics: Football, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Argentina, France, Paris Saint-Germain, FIFA World Cup
Ryan Sidle