Messi is a proven all-time great with 8 Ballon d'Or awards, a 2022 World Cup trophy, and 805+ career goals, while Mbappé at age 27 has 410 goals in 544 games and is positioned as his generational successor with elite speed and goal-scoring consistency.
Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappé — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Argentine forward with record 8 Ballon d'Or awards and 840+ career goals
French forward renowned for explosive pace, clinical finishing, and consistent goal-scoring output.
Career Goals Scored. Ballon d'Or Awards. World Cup Wins. Career Assists. Top Speed (Peak). Career Games Played (as of 2026). Goal-to-Game Ratio
Messi is the greatest footballer of all time with unmatched trophy collection, consistency, and legacy—choose him if evaluating all-time greatness and complete playing record. Choose Mbappé if assessing current peak performance and trajectory as the next generational superstar, though at 27 he has yet to reach Messi's overall achievement level.
Lionel Andrés Messi: 840+ goals in 1,004 matches | Kylian Mbappé: 306 goals
Lionel Andrés Messi: 1 (2022) | Kylian Mbappé: 0
Lionel Andrés Messi: 300+ | Kylian Mbappé: 87 assists
Lionel Andrés Messi: 32.5 | Kylian Mbappé: 35
Lionel Andrés Messi: 900+ | Kylian Mbappé: 544
Lionel Andrés Messi: 0.82 per game | Kylian Mbappé: 0.89
Lionel Andrés Messi: 37 | Kylian Mbappé: 27 years
Lionel Andrés Messi: 8 awards | Kylian Mbappé: 1 award
Lionel Andrés Messi: 1 World Cup (2022) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 23 seasons (2003-2026) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 10 La Liga titles | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 8.5 (group stage underperformance) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 0.164 assists/match (195+ career assists) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 2,600 million (social media followers) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A (person) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 21 years professional career (2004-2025) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 15-20 years (2005-2020 prime years) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: Career total $600,000,000 | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 8 Ballon d'Or awards | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 8 awards | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 106 goals in 180 appearances | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 1 title (2022) | Kylian Mbappé: 0 titles (runner-up 2022)
Lionel Andrés Messi: 42 assists in 180 games | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 807 goals | Kylian Mbappé: 170 goals
Lionel Andrés Messi: 97 goals in 180 appearances | Kylian Mbappé: 48 goals in 80 caps
Lionel Andrés Messi: 1 goal, 3 assists (2022, age 35) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 35 major trophies | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 21 years (2004-2025) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 8 consecutive (2008-2015) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: Playmaker-forward hybrid; creator of goals for teammates (336+ assists) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 0.73 goals/game | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 2 titles (2021, 2024) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Successful Dribbles Per Game (Peak Era 2010-2012)
Lionel Andrés Messi: 71% success rate | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 180 appearances | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 820+ goals | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 16 La Liga titles | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 73 goals (2011-12 season) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 2 Copa América (2021, 2024) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 807 goals | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 192 assists | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 13 years (2008-2021 peak) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 10 titles | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 823 | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 21 (2004-2025) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 2 | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 805 goals | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 1 championship (2022) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 92 goals (2012) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 4 titles | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 58% (2011-2015) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 88% | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: 23 years (2003-2026) | Kylian Mbappé: N/A
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 91
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 32
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: €157M
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: Superior statistical output vs Ronaldo's period
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 0 titles
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 0.63
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 28 goals
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 87%
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 3.8
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 25 years
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: Roaming forward (playmaker-scorer hybrid)
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 300+
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 0.89
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 89
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 37.5
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 6 seasons
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 62%
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 32 titles
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 310+ goals
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 45+ assists
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 1 title
Estimated Career Games Missed (Injuries)
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 35+ games
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 5.1 dribbles
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 44
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 7
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 8
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 8%
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 90
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 0.73
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 1.9
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 37.8
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 44 (all competitions)
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 26
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 178cm (5'10")
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: $210 million
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: N/A (plays La Liga)
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 36.5 km/h (age 25)
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 7 years (2018-2026)
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 35.2 km/h
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 46 goals
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 9 assists
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 82%
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 8.2/10
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 0 trophies
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 28 days
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 0.55
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 36.0 km/h
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 22 assists
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 2.1
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 47 goals
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 22 games
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: $180 million (2017)
Lionel Andrés Messi: N/A | Kylian Mbappé: 80 appearances
How to choose between Lionel Andrés Messi and Kylian Mbappé
Compare Lionel Andrés Messi vs Kylian Mbappé
Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappé — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappé. Contains 111 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappé — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappé.
By accumulated career achievement, Messi is unambiguously ahead: 8 Ballon d'Or awards (the most ever), a World Cup title (2022), 4 Champions League titles, and over 800 career goals across clubs. Mbappé, at 26, is on a historical trajectory — Champions League winner with Real Madrid in 2025, two World Cup Golden Boots — but has not yet reached the sustained 4-5 year dominance that defined Messi's best period. The fairest answer: Messi's career record places him first; Mbappé has the potential runway to mount a full career comparison by his early 30s.
Did Messi and Mbappé play in the same World Cup final?
Yes. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final (Qatar, December 18, 2022) was Argentina vs France — Messi's Argentina vs Mbappé's France. It is widely considered one of the greatest finals in World Cup history. Messi scored twice in regulation and once in the penalty shootout; Mbappé scored a hat-trick, becoming only the second player after Geoff Hurst (1966) to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. Argentina won 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw at the end of extra time.
Mbappé has been recorded running at approximately 36–38 km/h (22–24 mph) during matches, making him one of the fastest players ever measured at elite professional level. His recorded 38 km/h sprint in the 2018 World Cup was among the fastest ever timed at a tournament. By comparison, top sprinters in the 100m (non-football) run at approximately 44 km/h; the fastest football players measured approach 36-38 km/h. Mbappé's combination of top-end speed with technical ball control at pace is considered by analysts to be the quality that most separates him from other elite attackers.
Messi has won the Ballon d'Or 8 times: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023. This is the highest total for any player in the award's history. Cristiano Ronaldo is second with 5. Mbappé has not yet won the award as of 2025, though he has consistently finished in the top 5 of voting since 2021.
Is Mbappé better than Messi at Real Madrid?
This is a category error — Messi never played for Real Madrid (he spent his career primarily at Barcelona, then PSG, then Inter Miami). Mbappé joined Real Madrid in 2024 and won La Liga and the Champions League in his debut season. The more appropriate comparison is Mbappé at Real Madrid vs Messi at Barcelona: Messi's peak at Barcelona (2008-2021) produced records that remain unsurpassed in Spanish football, including 474 La Liga goals, 7 Liga titles, and 4 Champions League wins. Whether Mbappé can produce a comparable legacy at Real Madrid over the same timeframe is one of the sport's most compelling open questions.
How to Choose Between Lionel Andrés Messi and Kylian Mbappé
Career Goals Scored: Lionel Andrés Messi has 805+ goals, while Kylian Mbappé has 410 goals (at age 27).
Ballon d'Or Awards: Lionel Andrés Messi has 8 awards, while Kylian Mbappé has 0 awards.
World Cup Wins: Lionel Andrés Messi has 1 (2022), while Kylian Mbappé has 0.
Career Assists: Lionel Andrés Messi has 300+ assists, while Kylian Mbappé has 176 assists (at age 27).
Top Speed (Peak): Lionel Andrés Messi has 32.5 km/h, while Kylian Mbappé has 35 km/h (fastest in top 5 leagues 2023-24).
Consider: Career Games Played (as of 2026)
Career Games Played (as of 2026): Lionel Andrés Messi has 900+ games, while Kylian Mbappé has 544 games.
Goal-to-Game Ratio: Lionel Andrés Messi has 0.89 goals/game, while Kylian Mbappé has 0.75 goals/game.
Lionel Andrés Messi is better than Kylian Mbappé