The football world, accustomed to the sharp rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo over the years, found its next pair of “rivals,” leading to the concept of the “New Dual Stars.” Both Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland made names for themselves early in their club careers and successfully won the hearts of wealthy clubs willing to invest heavily in them.
Initially, both players’ career paths seemed to be moving step by step toward what fans and media had hoped for. However, this year, things seem to have gotten somewhat “out of control.”
Although Haaland at Manchester City still carries the label of disappearing in high-stakes matches, he remains the most reliable offensive weapon for the Blue Moon. This season, he leads the Premier League scoring chart with 12 goals in 11 rounds. At the international level, Haaland continues his prolific goal-scoring habit, achieving his 25th career hat-trick before turning 25.
As for Mbappé, who once captivated countless fans with his performances at Monaco, he finally joined his long-desired Real Madrid but has struggled to find his footing as a central striker. He has been caught in a prolonged battle with offside lines and mental health issues. During this month’s international break, while Haaland was celebrating a hat-trick for Norway, Mbappé could only update his social media to announce his fan status.
Given Vinícius Jr.’s status at Real Madrid, it is unlikely that Mbappé will reclaim his preferred left flank anytime soon. Moreover, he has not shown any signs of increasing his movement to pull himself out of his slump…
