France beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina 4-3 in a thrilling last 16 World Cup match on Saturday as teenager Kylian Mbappe scored two goals in a superb performance in Kazan.
Mbappe, 19, struck twice within minutes in the second half to put France 4-2 ahead and although Sergio Aguero gave the French a late scare with a goal in injury-time they held on.
In what might well turn out to be Messi’s last match for Argentina or at the World Cup – he will be 35 by the time the next showpiece event comes around – football’s next big thing announced his arrival at the grandest stage. For the uninitiated, welcome to Kylian Mbappe, who is often compared to the great Pele and he emulated him by becoming the first since teenager to score twice in a knockout game at the World Cup, since the Brazilian legend did it at Seden 1958.
Truth be told, it was not a game to remember for Messi, who still finished with two assists despite not being at his best.
The Argentinians were picked apart from a vibrant, youthful, pacy French team and Mbappe was at the heart of it all.
His tremendous performance sent social media into a tizzy.
Kylian Mbappe is the first teenager to score more than once in a World Cup tournament since Michael Owen scored one in 2 separate games in 1998. Mbappe wasn’t born then. He’s also the first teenager to score 2 in a match since Pele v Sweden in the final of 1958. 😳
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 30, 2018
Mbappe and the argentinian defense.. #FRAARG #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/oWyRnRMkzh
— #WorldCup🇷🇺🏆🚌 (@footballbus4) June 30, 2018
A performance like that on world's stage 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. At 19 I was being rejected by Brighton 😂 #Mbappe
— Ian Wright (@IanWright0) June 30, 2018
Kylian Mbappé is the first #FRA player to score two or more goals in a #WorldCup knockout game since Zinedine Zidane in the 1998 final.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 30, 2018
Mbappé was born 161 days after that 1998 final. 👼 pic.twitter.com/ZUu0jOIKiu
mbappe at 19 vs me at 19 pic.twitter.com/rBvzyF616I
— Denise Caroline (@howtodressvvell) June 30, 2018
1998 was a great year for French football. Kylian Mbappe was born
— Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) June 30, 2018
People calling Mbappé the 'next big thing' are underrating him. He's won back to back leagues, torn up the UCL and now World Cup at 19. He's the current big thing. World class forward already.
— ™️ (@TheFalseNein) June 30, 2018
Guys guys I know Messi is a good player and all but let's not take it too far and compare him to Mbappe please
— OMAR 👑 (@Omaaar96) June 30, 2018
Lionel Messi being shown up by 19 year old Kylian Mbappe when this was meant to be his tournament. His time to shine. This will be spoken about for many years to come. Mbappe has flipped the script. What a game!
— The Man Utd Way (@TheManUtdWay) June 30, 2018
Big fan of Kylian Mbappé since day one. The moment I saw him play, his footballing abilities got me addicted to his talent.
— Seleção Brasileira (@BrazilStat) June 30, 2018
Crazy to believe that Messi (and until now Cristiano) never ever scored a goal in the World Cup KO phase. In his first at 19, he scores a brace + MotM! pic.twitter.com/zVt64hN2As
Messi, who’s World Cup dream appears to be over, brought out some mixed emotions. There was criticism, of course, but most felt sad that he won’t win football’s greatest tournament.
This pic pic.twitter.com/iT8jqRXvGu
— Messi World (@MessiWorId) June 30, 2018
Messi walks out of the sunshine and into the shadows... #DoneAndDusted #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/hR0UMXbRnH
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) June 30, 2018
Imagine leaving Mauro Icardi at home, not playing Dybala, not starting Kun and giving minutes to Maxi freakin Meza and Enzo Perez. But yeah. Let’s blame Messi. That’s the easy thing to do.
— Nando (@BranG1992) June 30, 2018
He won’t give a monkey’s at the moment but Messi is the only player to have delivered an assist in the last 4 World Cups.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 30, 2018
Vocabulary: LMAO
— Mad E'Leine 🧙🏼♀️🇳🇬 (@badgalmaddie_) June 30, 2018
(Abbreviation) vulgar slang
Meaning: Lionel Messi of Argentina Out.#FRAARG 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/g2HPP5h6ZK
Argentina's defence was so bad throughout the tournament. Put Messi in Iran's team and he'd win the World Cup.
— Messi World (@MessiWorId) June 30, 2018
Leo Messi leaves the #WorldCup 😥 pic.twitter.com/Zc4LVeF3Qh
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 30, 2018
Don't cry 4-3 Argentina
— Tom Nuttall (@tom_nuttall) June 30, 2018
Be logical, stop being immature and stop trolling Messi for everything what happens with Argentina. If your team is no good to defend and mark the players of the opposition, a player like Ronaldo, Messi, Pele or any other individual cannot do any good to the team ALONE.#FRAARG
— Jaanvi 🏏 (@ThatCricketBuff) June 30, 2018
You are going to see many analysis trying to absolve Messi of criticisms for Argentina's ouster. Stay woke, don't be deceived.
— Deji Faremi (@deejayfaremi) June 30, 2018
Messi didn't have a great World Cup, and that's normal because he's human and can have bad times.
What I don't get is the thought he can't be faulted.
now that argentina are out of the world cup, i think it’s settled who the greatest player of all time is.
— Lara 🇦🇷🇭🇷🇲🇽🇨🇴 (@LaraHmayed) June 30, 2018
it’s messi.
always has been, always will be!
There’s a saying in Brazil: “Zico didn’t win the World Cup, it’s the World Cup’s loss.”
— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) June 30, 2018
Di Stéfano never even played at the World Cup, and it didn’t affect his legacy one bit. He’s bigger than that, just like Messi.
The two greatest players in Barça & football history, Cruyff and Messi, never won a World Cup. The World Cup doesn't owe anyone anything, neither will it change anyone's status
— Ahmad (@ahmadf_o) June 30, 2018
And we’ll just leave you with this... the photo of the night. Out with the old, in with the new?
Messi + Mbappé = respect 👍#UCL pic.twitter.com/rHtAnfoLf1
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 30, 2018