Manager of Atletico Madrid, Diego Simeone, has expressed his opinion regarding the debate surrounding the superiority of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
Both Mbappe and Haaland have been identified as the potential successors to the legendary duo of Ronaldo and Messi, who are widely regarded as the greatest footballers of all time.
While Ronaldo and Messi have an impressive collection of 12 Ballon d’Or awards between them, it is worth noting that they are no longer in their prime, and the younger generation of players is ready to take on the mantle in the near future.
Among the younger crop of players, a considerable number of names have already solidified their status as stars, but none resonates like PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
Both stars have not looked back since taking the world by storm in their debut campaign and have proceeded for greater exploits. When asked to pick between the speedy Frenchman and the Norwegian goal machine, Simeone said, as quoted by (h/t PSG Community) via Daily Post.
“Between Mbappe and Haaland? Mbappe. He is an extraordinary player who does everything well at only 24 years old. It is madness.”
While Simeone’s evaluation of Mbappe and Haaland may be based on personal observation, it is worth noting that statistically, the forward from Manchester City has an astonishing record of 52 goals from 51 games this season.
Additionally, he is on the verge of securing the treble, which could potentially enhance his standing in the race for the Ballon d’Or ahead of Mbappe.
In terms of goals scored, Mbappe, who played a crucial role in PSG’s Ligue 1 triumph, also has an impressive tally of 40 goals in 42 matches, per Transfermarkt.
Man City legend picks Mbappe
In a related publication, Sports Brief reported that Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are setting themselves up nicely to take over the decade-long rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Currently, at 52 goals and counting, the Norwegian has established himself as the most potent striker in world football. Perhaps his only downside compared to Mbappe is that he rarely creates chances. He largely relies on the brilliance of his teammates around him.
Asked to choose one of the two, Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany settled on Mbappe.