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Image source, Getty Images
Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe person some scored 4 goals astatine the 2026 World Cup
ByMatt Jones
BBC Sport journalist
Two of the top forwards successful satellite shot volition spell head-to-head astatine Boston Stadium connected Friday, arsenic France and Kylian Mbappe instrumentality connected Norway and Erling Haaland.
Both nations person won their opening 2 group-stage matches astatine the World Cup, helped by devastating displays from their prima strikers. Mbappe and Haaland person each scored doubly successful some of their opening games, leaving them connected 4 goals for the tournament. Lionel Messi leads the contention for the Golden Boot with five.
With apical spot successful Group I inactive up for grabs, some players are expected to commencement contempt their teams having already secured qualification for the knockout stages. The lucifer efficaciously serves arsenic a playoff to find who finishes archetypal and, successful theory, earns a much favourable way successful the bracket.
BBC Sport looks astatine however important each subordinate is to his squad earlier what promises to beryllium a captivating World Cup contest.
Although some are cardinal players for their clubs, the value of Mbappe and Haaland is elevated adjacent further connected the planetary stage.
Since August 2022, France person won 69.8% of their matches with Mbappe successful the side, compared with conscionable 50% without him.
Mbappe, France's all-time starring goalscorer, besides helps marque the squad much productive successful attack. During that period, Les Bleus person averaged 2.3 goals per crippled with him successful the team, compared with 1.9 without him.
Given Norway's comparatively constricted depth, it is nary astonishment that Haaland is adjacent much important to his nation.
Since August 2022, Norway person won 64.5% of matches with Haaland successful the team, compared with conscionable 33.3% without him.
This World Cup has shown that neither subordinate is daunted by the unit of a large tourney too.
For each the absorption connected Messi, it feels lone a substance of clip earlier Mbappe reels him successful astatine the apical of the World Cup scoring charts.
The Frenchman trails the 39-year-old by conscionable 2 goals aft scoring 16 times successful 16 World Cup appearances. Crucially, Mbappe is 12 years younger than Messi and, portion you would not wholly regularisation retired the Argentina fable returning successful 4 years' time, this is apt to beryllium his last World Cup.
Haaland is playing successful his archetypal World Cup and has taken to the tourney similar a Viking rower to water.
He is the sixth subordinate successful World Cup past to people aggregate goals successful each of his archetypal 2 appearances astatine the tourney and lone the 2nd to bash truthful successful the past 50 years, aft Harry Kane for England successful 2018.
His caller signifier for Norway has been remarkable, too. He has scored successful 12 consecutive competitory internationals, including an unthinkable 16 goals successful his past six matches.
On the planetary stage, Haaland has besides been the much prolific scorer overall. Mbappe has an awesome 60 planetary goals successful 100 games, but the Norway striker is conscionable 1 down connected 59 contempt having played lone 52 matches for his state - 48 less than Mbappe.
How bash their games compare?
Their respective vigor maps from the tourney connection an penetration into wherever they bash astir of their enactment connected the pitch.
Image source, Opta
Kylian Mbappe's vigor representation from the 2026 World Cup
Image source, Opta
Erling Haaland's vigor representation from the 2026 World Cup
In presumption of attacking metrics for their clubs this season, Mbappe outperforms Haaland successful shots, touches and chances created, though the City striker recorded much assists successful 2025-26.
There is besides a important quality successful their dribbling numbers, thing that has been evident this summer. At this World Cup, the Frenchman has attempted 14 dribbles crossed the archetypal 2 matches, compared with conscionable 1 from Haaland.
Where Haaland has held the borderline is successful accidental conversion. Across the past 4 nine seasons successful league matches, helium has converted 23.43% of his shots, compared with Mbappe's 18.24%. This season, Mbappe narrowed the spread but was inactive somewhat behind.
Mbappe besides comes up abbreviated of Haaland successful presumption of his antiaircraft contribution. For Real Madrid this season, helium ranked 1,481st retired of each 1,483 players to person played a minimum of 900 minutes for combined antiaircraft contributions successful the apical 5 leagues.
How acold tin Haaland transportation Norway?
Image source, Getty Images
Haaland and his squad observe aft their triumph implicit Senegal
Their respective and comparable value is neatly illustrated by their caller planetary extremity involvements.
Since August 2022, Mbappe has been progressive successful 44% of France's goals, contributing 33 goals and 17 assists. During the aforesaid period, Haaland has contributed 39 goals and 4 assists, accounting for 43.9% of Norway's extremity involvements.
France, of course, person loftier ambitions this summertime and are among the favourites to triumph the tournament. Even Haaland himself has said helium believes Les Bleus volition bushed Norway connected Friday and spell connected to assistance the trophy.
Norway are susceptible of giving the French a bloody chemoreceptor though, particularly with the game's astir ascendant penalty-box predator successful red-hot form. With Haaland, it would beryllium foolish to enactment a lid connected their ambitions.
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