Messi outshines Mbappe and Haaland + why Amorim for Milan?
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How did Messi, Mbappé and Haaland headline the World Cup action last night?
The Athletic FC.
Hello and welcome to the Athletic FC podcast with me, Emma Payton. Well, the stars have arrived at the World Cup. Messi with a hat trick, Mbappe and Haaland with two apiece. And away from the tournament, Milan have appointed Ruben Amorim. Well, here with me in the studio today, we have The Athletic's Mark Critchley and Liam Toomey. Gents, how are we doing this Wednesday morning? Have we slept? Did we stay up all night?
I have slept because I think if I didn't sleep and tried to stay up all night, then I'd still be in my hotel room right now. And producer Jay would be breaking down the door to get me into the studio. What was it? Quarter to 10 in the morning. But I watched, I watched France. Then I watched the first half of Norway, went to sleep. And then I woke up for Austria before my alarm, not intentionally. And like sort of experienced that through various stages of consciousness. But it's, you know, I feel like, and then watch the highlights afterwards. So I feel like I've got a good grasp of things. See, maybe not, maybe not.
Yeah, it's really well rested it seems. Yeah. So you didn't have an alarm that said, right, Austria Jordan, wake up.
No, no, no. That was the plan going into the tournament. And then a few days in, I think that World Cup fever started to just dissipate a little bit. I've got to be honest.
I tend to get woken up by small humans rather than large humans on the TV kicking a football these days. I watched France and then tried to have a normal night. Okay, okay.
Right, let's get to the action then. Oli Kay was at Kansas City Stadium to see Argentina thrash Algeria, thanks to who else but Lionel Messi, while Adam Crafton was at the MetLife Stadium to see the Mbappe show. Here's what they both made of it.
So leaving MetLife Stadium after France 3, Senegal 1, and kind of leaving here today questioning, could Kylian Mbappe become the best men's World Cup player in history? Because the records are starting to speak for themselves. He's already won a World Cup. scored a hat-trick in a final, five games now in which Mbappé has scored two or more goals in a World Cup match. He was crucial again for France today. Michael Alissé, also fantastic. Thierry Henry in the Fox coverage described Mbappé as France's MVP and Alissé as the MIP, the most important player. I feel like that might be the story for France really in this tournament because they are the difference makers. But Mbappé, France, great start for them.
They are the favourites. Let's see if anyone can stop them.
Hi, this is Oliver Kaye, football writer for The Athletic, outside Arrowhead Park, Kansas City, trying to make myself heard above the partying Argentina fans who have just watched with the rest of us in awe as Lionel Messi has scored a hat-trick to defeat Algeria at the age of 38. I was feeling really nostalgic on the way here this evening because I read that it was 20 years ago to the day that Messi's made his World Cup debut. in Germany for Argentina against Serbia and Montenegro. I was actually there in Gelsenkirchen watching him come off the bench. Incredible cameo performance with a 6-0 win That was the first time I'd watched Lionel Messi in the flesh. It has been, in some ways, the biggest privilege of my career has been to watch Lionel Messi in the flesh as often as I have.
This is the first time I've seen him in over three years since he moved to MLS. And to watch him do this again tonight at the age of 38, perform like that, get the crowd off their feet, he's just absolutely phenomenal. Who knows whether he'll get the golden boot or play to the tournament, or whatever, at this tournament. But one thing is for certain, he is the greatest player I have watched in my time reporting on football. I don't think there's the slightest debate about that. It's just a privilege to watch him, and it's a privilege even at the age of 38, 39 next week, rolling back the years. What a player.
Yeah, what a player indeed. Not going to argue with Oli on that at all. Mbappe, of course, had gone to within two goals of Miroslav Klose's World Cup record of 16 goals after his two against Senegal.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
How did Messi, Mbappé and Haaland headline the World Cup action last night?
0:02–7:15
2
What did Adam Crafton report from MetLife Stadium about Mbappé’s performance?
7:15–10:50
3
What was Oliver Kaye’s eyewitness account of Messi’s hat-trick in Kansas City?
10:50–17:27
4
How are commentators comparing Mbappé and Messi in the race for World Cup greatness?
17:27–38:33
Speakers
7 identifiedMore from The Athletic FC Podcast
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