Football fans have been fortunate over the last two decades following the rise of some of the most magical players that have ever blessed the beautiful game. We have lived through an era of dominance between arguably the two greatest players that have ever played the game, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Both Cristiano and Lionel have changed the game forever. Their dynamism and thirst for success created a new dimension of football where they broke dozens of individual records between them.
It appears the argument about who is the superior player of the two reached a climax at the back end of 2022. In a fairytale finish that seemed to be written in the stars, Lionel Messi led his Argentina side to the first World Cup since 1986. It is almost certainly the final World Cup of both legendary icons.
Despite initial concerns before the World Cup, the tournament was a success. It had everything, whether it was huge shocks like Saudi Arabia beating Argentina in the group stages which wasn’t something many people predicted, and it was to the dismay of online gambling companies.
Gambling is a popular pastime down under, and this isn’t just sports betting; it also includes everything from poker tournaments to online casino games. Although casino gaming isn’t anywhere near as widespread and popular as the World Cup Final, it generates the same excitement and exhilaration. Therefore, it is no surprise that live casinos are becoming increasingly popular and profitable down under.
The Next Generation
As they start to look like mere mortals again, the question is which players will step up to the podium and define their generation. With 12 Ballon d'Or awards between them, there is no question they are the two greatest players of their era, but who is next to fill their boots?
The two obvious frontrunners as the world's best-attacking players are Erling Haaland and Frenchman Kylian Mbappe. The young Norwegian superstar hasn't even turned 23 yet, but he has smashed many goalscoring records in his first year in the English Premier League.
If Manchester City can go on to win the Champions League, you'd imagine he would play a substantial role. If he can sweep up domestic solo and team honors and dominate Europe, there's no reason Haaland couldn't go on to win multiple Ballon d'Or awards.
Conversely, Frenchman Kylian Mbappe has been a superstar for quite some time. He is two years older than Erling Haaland already has 38 goals for the international side, and is the only player other than Geoff Hurst to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final.
If Kylian had managed to get one over his PSG teammate Lionel Messi and lift the World Cup, he would almost certainly have won the Ballon d'Or considering he topped the goals and assisted records in the French Ligue 1 the previous season.
Will They Reach The Heights Of Messi & Ronaldo
With tremendous respect to Erling and Kylian, it is unlikely that they will be able to match the levels set by Messi or Ronaldo. However, as time passes and once the Argentinian and Portuguese legends have retired, their records will probably look even stronger when viewed subjectively through the prism of time.
Mbappe & Haaland could easily win more than one Ballon d'Or each throughout the rest of their career, but as other generational talents in football begin to rise to the top, such as Haaland's Norwegian teammate Martin Odegaard, Spanish star Pedri and English midfielder Jude Bellingham who looks set for a colossal money switch to Real Madrid.
The competition might be much more challenging than when Ronaldo and Messi set themselves in a league of their own. Still, they are undoubtedly two of the most extraordinary footballing talents in the world.
Conclusion
Who will come out on top between Haaland and Mbappe? Individually we're going to say, Haaland, following his startling exploits in his first year of English football, will only get better and is two years behind Kylian.
Regarding team achievements, you'd think Kylian Mbappe will one day lead France to World Cup glory again as the captain. They came within a whisker of snatching Messi's dream away at the 2022 World Cup. However, given that the magical Frenchman will be in his physical prime for the next tournament, barring any significant injuries, you'd think he can take them just as far and maybe even one better.
It could boil down to who collects the most Champions Leagues, as this is a solid measuring stick for who is the better player. This race will heat up and accelerate, given that Messi is toward the end of his incredible career and Ronaldo has essentially retired, given the quality of the league he is playing in.
