Lionel Messi has been mesmerizing. Kylian Mbappe has been, well, magnifique.Two of the biggest stars of the World Cup are setting records with history-making goals in a sizzling start that has even the most casual soccer fans in the U.S. taking notice.Messi has five goals in Argentina’s first two matches, setting the record for most career World Cup goals with 18. Mbappe has scored four times for France, ranking him tied for second in career goals with 16.“Leo always scores,” Mbappe said. “He’ll always score. If I want to look at what Leo’s doing, I’ll have to do even more.”They are not alone in hitting the back of the net. Norway’s Erling Haaland already has four in his country’s first two games at the World Cup since 1998. And Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo finally broke out with two scored against Uzbekistan on Tuesday to raise his career World Cup total to 10.But Messi and Mbappe are the maestros making this World Cup their personal symphony. It’s one they’ve been writing since the 2022 final in Qatar, when Messi scored twice and Mbappe three times before Argentina finally won on penalty kicks in a title game for the ages.There should be plenty of music still to come from both. Argentina and France have already clinched spots in the elimination rounds, and both are among the favorites to win the whole thing.Messi has scored most of his World Cup goals at an age when most top scorers would be well past their prime.He has scored 12 World Cup goals since he turned 35, and will turn 39 on Wednesday, three days before Argentina plays its final group stage match — against Jordan.Messi, the former Barcelona icon who now plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, still possesses exquisite tou …
