The highly anticipated showdown between two of the world's top forwards is set to take place at Boston Stadium on Friday, as France and Kylian Mbappe take on Norway and Erling Haaland.
Both nations have won their opening two group-stage matches at the World Cup, thanks in large part to the devastating displays of their star strikers. Mbappe and Haaland have each scored twice in both of their opening games, leaving them on four goals for the tournament and just two behind leader Lionel Messi.
Although both players are crucial to their clubs, their importance is elevated further on the international stage. Since August 2022, France have won 69.8% of their matches with Mbappe in the side, compared with just 50% without him. Similarly, Norway have won 64.5% of matches with Haaland in the team, compared with just 33.3% without him.
Mbappe, France's all-time leading goalscorer, also has a significant impact on the team's attacking productivity. During the same period, Les Bleus have averaged 2.3 goals per game with him in the team, compared with 1.9 without him.
The match effectively serves as a playoff to determine which team tops Group I and earns a more favourable path in the bracket. With top spot still up for grabs, both players are expected to start despite their teams having already secured qualification for the knockout stages.