ATLANTA ¨C In an expanded World Cup intended to spread the soccer spotlight wider than ever, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have already delivered the star power FIFA, broadcasters and the American audience crave, with Erling Haaland, Harry ?Kane and teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal playing compelling supporting roles.
If there is one thing the U.S. loves, it ?is the ?gravitational pull of a superstar, with the American Dream built on the premise that ?an individual, armed with talent and charisma, can climb above the rest and carry the whole show.
Messi has risen to the challenge in style to become the all-time World Cup record scorer, two games into the tournament. The ?almost-39-year-old netted a hat-trick in Argentina¡¯s 3-0 win over Algeria and picked up where he left off on Monday, when even ?a penalty miss failed to dim the sense that he is intent on enjoying what is almost certainly his last World Cup.
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