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Norway v France is arguably the most talent-loaded fixture in the World Cup group stage. Transfermarkt’s combined estimated market value of the two squads is higher than for any of the other 71 matches in this phase of the tournament. Yet the vast majority of the attention at Boston Stadium will be focused on just two men: Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé, who are already in the leading pack to win the World Cup Golden Boot for top goalscorers, both scoring twice in each of their first two games.
They are very different types of forward. The Norwegian is the ultimate penalty box player, capable of finding space in the most dangerous areas where none appears to exist. His French counterpart is far more comfortable dribbling from wide areas, completing as many take-ons in two games as the Manchester City man does all season. Despite their contrasting styles, they have delivered near-identical output in Europe’s big five leagues since Haaland made his debut for Borussia Dortmund in January 2020.
The similarities in their headline numbers are uncanny. Mbappé has made one more league appearance in that time, spending just 11 additional minutes on the field. Haaland leads the goal tally by two, Mbappé takes the assist battle by five and Harry Kane is the only man ahead of either of them once those two metrics are combined (for what are known as goal contributions). The England striker has played over 1,700 minutes more too.
Haaland and Mbappé are a little further apart in the Champions League. Their playing time differs more here, thanks to the France forward representing teams that expect to compete for the continental crown from a younger age.
Yet Haaland is the only one of the two who possesses a winner’s medal for the competition, with the data hinting at why that might be. The duo have similar rates of combined goals and assists per 90 minutes in the Champions League since Haaland’s debut, but Mbappé has been less effective in the knockout phase.
It is their records in international football that will be most pertinent on Friday. Their goal tallies for their countries are just one apart. A more significant difference is that Mbappé has played almost twice as many matches as Haaland for their respective nations, opening his goal account for France more three years earlier.
With a stronger cast of colleagues behind him, Mbappé feels more likely to take the honours at Boston Stadium. Haaland should have more international goals once their careers have drawn to a close though.
