Two of the greatest forwards in world football will go head-to-head at Boston Stadium on Friday, as Norway and Erling Haaland take on France and Kylian Mbappe.
Both nations have won their opening two group-stage matches at the World Cup, helped by devastating displays from their star strikers. Both have each scored twice in their two opening games, leaving them on four goals for the tournament.
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With top spot in Group I still up for grabs, both players are expected to start despite their teams having already secured qualification for the knockout stages.
The match effectively serves as a playoff to determine who finishes first and, in theory, earns a more favourable path in the bracket.
[BBC]
Although both are key players for their domestic clubs, the importance of Haaland and Mbappe is further elevated on the international stage.
Given Norway’s limited depth, it is no surprise that Haaland is even more crucial to his nation than Mbappe. Since August 2022, Norway have won 64.5% of matches with Haaland in the team, compared to just 33.3% without him.
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The Norwegian has taken to his first World Cup like a Viking rower to water.
He is the sixth player in World Cup history to score multiple goals in each of his first two appearances at the tournament, and only the second player to do so in the past 50 years after Harry Kane for England in 2018.
He has also scored in 12 consecutive competitive internationals, including 16 goals in his past six matches.
[BBC]
France, of course, have loftier ambitions this summer and are among the favourites to win the World Cup, but Norway are capable of giving them a bloody nose.
With Haaland, it would be foolish to put a lid on the country’s ambitions.
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