Mbappe (left) and Kane are currently the two best players this season - Photo: REUTERS
The six names mentioned above were the top contenders for last year's Ballon d'Or. But the order of the race seems to have completely changed in just a few months.
Why were Haaland and Vitinha removed from the list?
Last season wasn't Haaland's season, so he wasn't mentioned. Meanwhile, Vitinha was too quiet and only rose to prominence thanks to the series of titles PSG won at the end of the season. In the current season, Vitinha remains just as quiet. It's very difficult for a player like him to compete for the Ballon d'Or, even if PSG plays consistently well.
Meanwhile, Haaland has regained his image as a humble, ambitious, and dedicated star on the pitch. The Norwegian superstar has scored a total of 24 goals for both his national team and club since the end of August. That's an average of 12 goals per month. If he maintains his current performance, Haaland will have over 100 goals by the end of this season.
But Haaland is the opposite of Vitinha – who has won every collective title with both PSG and the Portuguese national team (winning the UEFA Nations League last summer). Next summer, Portugal will still be a top contender at the World Cup, and Vitinha is ready to claim every collective title. Unfortunately, he's unlikely to be the standout player in the team.
Haaland, on the other hand, is exceptionally outstanding in teams that aren't highly rated. Manchester City still seems to be struggling to overcome their slump. Their defensive approach against Arsenal is a prime example.
It's very difficult for a team like that to aim for the Champions League or even the Premier League. And in the Norwegian national team, Haaland clearly only participated in the World Cup as a "dark horse".
Mbappe and Kane have it all.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane have it all, from individual brilliance to collective strength. While Haaland has scored 24 goals, Mbappe has already found the net 19 times this season for both his club and national team.
And regardless of the jersey he wears, the team Mbappe plays for aims to win every competition. Similarly, Harry Kane has a goal-scoring record on par with Haaland, brimming with ambition to win major tournaments with Bayern Munich and the England national team.
Most importantly, it's the "story" that matters. Mbappe and Kane are creating extraordinary evolutionary journeys in the world of football.
Real Madrid's recent victory in the "El Clásico" against Barca was a symbolic triumph in the individual race. Before the match, Yamal was the center of attention with countless media-grabbing moments – from his arrogant statements to his tumultuous personal life. In contrast, Mbappe remained largely unaffected by controversy, both before and after the game.
Carvajal got into a fight. Courtois and Bellingham were caught in the crossfire. Vinicius even clashed with coach Xabi Alonso. Only Mbappe managed to keep his cool. For the past year, Mbappe has remained consistently "cool." He no longer displays his arrogant ego, no longer acts impulsively on the pitch, and instead focuses his determination entirely on action.
With that determination, Mbappe showed the football world the best version of himself ever. This evolution can be compared to when Messi transitioned from a dribbling, attacking role to becoming the "master" of the attacking front, and when Ronaldo transformed from a speedy player into a complete striker.
As for Harry Kane, he has long since reached his limits. What Kane lacks is luck. But this season, the story could be different as Bayern Munich are brimming with confidence. And Kane has become a symbol of the professional model of football.
It's very difficult for a 32-year-old player, after more than 10 years of ups and downs in his football career, to maintain peak performance. Kane's current consistency is almost similar to what Ronaldo and Messi have achieved in the last 5 years.
At this point in the season, Mbappe and Kane are the two best players in football.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/mbappe-va-kane-but-pha-20251029102643868.htm
Comment (0)