Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe recently opened up about his relationship with fellow football superstar Lionel Messi. The duo, who previously played together at Paris Saint-Germain, faced off against each other in the Qatar World Cup final in 2022. While Mbappe left PSG to join Real Madrid, Messi signed for Inter Miami. Despite their past rivalry, Mbappe and Messi have become closer since the final, as revealed in a new interview with CANAL+ journalist Moloud Achour. On the field, Mbappe has struggled to find his form with Real Madrid, while Messi has had a successful stint with Inter Miami, leading them to a record-breaking season.
In the world of football, it's not uncommon for fierce rivals to eventually become respected colleagues. Such is the case with Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, two of the greatest players of their generation.
Mbappé and Messi first crossed paths as teammates at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2021. Despite their undeniable talent, they initially struggled to find a coherent system under former manager Mauricio Pochettino. Nevertheless, the duo still managed to help PSG win the Ligue 1 title in 2022.
However, their time together in Paris was cut short when Mbappé decided to leave for Real Madrid that summer. Meanwhile, Messi signed for Inter Miami in 2023.
The rivalry between Mbappé and Messi reached its peak in the 2022 World Cup final, where their respective teams, France and Argentina, faced each other in a thrilling encounter. Mbappé scored a hat-trick, but it was ultimately Messi's turn to lift the trophy, leading Argentina to their first World Cup victory since 1986.
Despite their past rivalry, Mbappé and Messi have become closer since the World Cup. In a recent interview, Mbappé revealed that he had reached out to Messi after the final to congratulate him. The two have also been spotted dining together in Miami.
<h3>Top 5 FAQs</h3>1. Why did Mbappé leave PSG for Real Madrid? Mbappé has cited his desire to join one of the world's most prestigious clubs and to compete for major trophies as his reasons for leaving PSG.
2. How has Mbappé performed at Real Madrid? Mbappé has struggled to find his form since joining Real Madrid, scoring only 13 goals in 27 appearances.
3. How has Messi performed at Inter Miami? Messi has had a successful stint with Inter Miami, leading them to a record-breaking season and winning the MLS Cup in 2023.
4. Are Mbappé and Messi still rivals? No, Mbappé and Messi have become closer since the World Cup. They have expressed admiration for each other's abilities and have even been spotted dining together.
5. What are Mbappé's future plans? Mbappé has stated that he wants to win the Champions League with Real Madrid and compete for major trophies with France.
Brazilian striker Joao Pedro proved his worth as he scored two crucial goals to lead Chelsea to victory in the Club World Cup semi-final match against Fluminense. Despite his ties to the opposing team, Pedro showed his class and skill as Chelsea secured a spot in the final against either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain. With his impressive performance, Pedro's £55 million price tag seems like a bargain for Chelsea. The win also earned the team an additional £22 million, adding to the £60 million they had already secured for participating in the tournament.
Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz secured his spot in the Wimbledon semi-finals for the third year in a row after defeating Britain's Cameron Norrie in a dominant performance on Tuesday. Alcaraz will now face American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals, with a potential shot at winning his fourth consecutive title this season. Despite facing a tough opponent, Alcaraz is confident in his game and plans to rest and relax with his team and family before the big match.
The city of Jessheim, Norway will host the 2025 Paralympic Winter Games Qualification Tournament from 5-10 November 2025. The six-team round-robin tournament, hosted by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association, will determine the top two teams that will earn qualification spots for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. With strong competitors such as Slovakia, Norway, Korea, and three teams from the B-Pool World Championships vying for spots, the tournament is shaping up to be an exciting and intense event.
Marble Sands, trained by Fergal O'Brien, beat out odds-on favorite Rare Edition in the Listed Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle. Despite his previous loss in the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle, Marble Sands is now being considered for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham after his impressive performance. Harry Cobden also had a successful day, winning the 2m novice handicap hurdle with Artistic Choice and the 2m3½f handicap hurdle with Sonigino for trainer Paul Nicholls.
On his birthday, let's take a look at what made Sourav Ganguly one of the most influential and transformational captains in Indian cricket history. Ganguly's bold leadership, fearless attitude, and eye for young talent have left a lasting impact on the team. He taught them to believe, to fight, and to never be afraid of defeat. Without his contributions, the careers of Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, and MS Dhoni may have turned out very differently. Ganguly's legacy has forever changed the culture of Indian cricket, breaking down barriers of hierarchy and bringing a new level of confidence and aggression to the team.
South African cricketer Wiaan Mulder's unbeaten knock of 367 not out has put him in an elite club of players who have scored 350 or more in a Test match. He is also only the third batsman in Test history to hit 100+ runs in two different sessions of the same innings. With this, he has also broken records for the highest individual South African score in Tests and the highest Test score in Zimbabwe.
On his 44th birthday, MS Dhoni, affectionately known as 'Mahi' by fans, received a flood of well-wishes from fans and former teammates. Among those sending their regards was cricketer Deepak Chahar, who shared a special bond with Dhoni both on and off the field. As one of India's most successful cricket captains, Dhoni has amassed impressive records in all formats, including leading the Indian team to the top of the ICC Test rankings and securing five IPL titles with the Chennai Super Kings.
After a lot of debate and speculation about whether Akash Deep's delivery that clean bowled Joe Root in the recent England-India Test match was a no ball or not, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has officially stated that it was indeed a legal delivery. Despite some confusion regarding the positioning of Deep's back foot, the MCC has clarified that the first point of contact of the foot with the ground is what determines a no ball, not subsequent positioning. The dismissal was a crucial breakthrough for India, helping them to seal a convincing series-levelling win against England.
Akash Deep led the charge for India against England in the second Test at Edgbaston, becoming the first visiting fast bowler to pick a five-wicket haul in the fourth innings at the venue. He finished the match with an impressive 10 wickets and also reached a unique milestone of being the first bowler in 49 years to dismiss four of England's top five batters in an innings on his own. Shubman Gill also played a crucial role in India's victory, earning the player of the match award for his 430 runs throughout the Test. This historic win brings the series level at 1-1 and cements India's dominance in the longest format of the game.
South Africa's stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder created history on the second day of the second Test against Zimbabwe by becoming the fifth-highest individual scorer in cricket history with an unbeaten 367*. Mulder, who also holds the record for the highest individual score by a Proteas batter in Test cricket, came dangerously close to surpassing Brian Lara's legendary 400*, but decided to declare the innings at 626/5. Despite missing out on breaking Lara's record, Mulder's scorching strike rate of 109.88 is the best among all triple-centurions in Test cricket.