Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe? Gary Neville chooses the best player of the 2022 FIFA World Cup 

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has picked Argentina superstar Lionel Messi as his best player at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, snubbing France ace Kylian Mbappe.

Both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have fired on all cylinders at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammates have each scored five goals in six appearances, but the 35-year-old has the edge when it comes to assists. Messi has recorded three assists in Qatar so far, while Mbappe has claimed two.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina will meet Kylian Mbappe’s France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, 18 December. Ahead of the mega showdown between the two heavyweight teams and their respective superstars, Neville revealed the name of the player who has impressed him the most in Qatar. The former England international picked Messi as his best player, arguing that Mbappe had a much better support system than the Argentine.

On Sky Sports, Neville said:

“I'm going to say Messi because I think Mbappe is in a far better team than Messi.

“I think Mbappe has great players around him, whereas Messi, you look at the players around - don’t get me wrong...they're of a good standard.”

The defender-turned-pundit added that Argentine players were going the extra mile to cover Messi’s defensive shortcomings and, in turn, expected him to magically win them games.

“I took a picture actually at the end of the game on Tuesday night - Argentina vs Croatia - and it was the last five minutes. There were 10 Argentinian players camped on the edge of the box and Messi on his own! It sort of summed up Argentina really,” Neville continued.

“It does feel like a mission to him, the World Cup, doesn’t it? And the rest of his team are so collective around him in terms of how they’re playing, they’re almost saying ‘we’re going to keep a clean sheet, be horrible to play against, we’re going to do everything right then he’ll go and win us the game, he’ll do something,' and that’s what is happening.”

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Brazil legend Rivaldo backs Lionel Messi’s Argentina to beat Kylian Mbappe’s France in the World Cup final

Former Brazil international Rivaldo has come out in support of Argentina after Selecao’s elimination from the World Cup. The 2002 World Cup winner has openly declared that he will be backing Argentina to get the better of Kylian Mbappe and Co., adding that Lionel Messi deserves to win the World Cup.

The former Barcelona man wrote on social media:

"Now we don't have Brazil or Neymar in the final, so I'm going with Argentina.

"There are no words for you, Leo Messi. You already deserve to be a world champion, but God knows all things and will crown you on Sunday, you deserve this title for the person you are and the wonderful football you have always played."

Rivaldo was at Barcelona for five seasons between 1997 and 2002, scoring 130 goals in 235 appearances in all competitions.