Paul Merson names the best player in the world; snubs Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda this week, football pundit Paul Merson has picked French forward Kylian Mbappe as the best player in the world ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The former Arsenal player also went on to mention that France are a balanced side and can go a long way in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

"Mbappe is the best player in the world as of today. He has absolutely everything – I couldn’t believe it. He can beat players and score, he can cross and head the ball, he can pass – I don’t know what he can’t do. If he keeps playing the way he does, France can go a long way."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi also scored goals in their opening games, with both strikes coming from the penalty spot. Messi scored Argentina's first goal of the World Cup but could only stand by and watch as Saudi Arabia pulled off a sensational comeback to secure a 2-1 victory.

Messi is currently struggling with a knock to his ankle and has trained apart from the rest of the group ahead of their all-important game against Mexico. With Messi visibly not at his physical best at the moment, the Argentines will need to step up and rally around their captain.

Ronaldo also found the back of the net for Portugal with a penalty that was mired in controversy. The former Manchester United striker converted what was an evidently soft penalty and saw his Portugal outfit win their opening game against Ghana by a 3-2 margin.

France conceded a shock early goal against Australia this week, and another World Cup upset seemed to be on the cards. Les Bleus put up an admirable response, however, and came out of the game with a comfortable 4-1 victory. Kylian Mbappe, in particular, wreaked havoc in the final third and was rewarded with a goal after the hour mark.

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Paul Merson applauds France midfielder Adrien Rabiot for World Cup performance

Rabiot ran the show against Australia

With Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante ruled out of the World Cup, there have been concerns over France's midfield combination in recent weeks. In their absence, however, Juventus star Adrien Rabiot stepped up against Australia with an admirable performance to cement his place in the side.

Paul Merson was visibly impressed with his showing and showered praise on Rabiot for holding the French midfield together on the big stage.

“I thought the French played very well as a team. I thought they would be a bit light in midfield without Kante and Pogba, but Adrien Rabiot was outstanding.”

Messi and Ronaldo gear up for their last World Cup appearances

While France have made massive strides in their World Cup ambitions, the situation is slightly more complex for Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates are drawn into a challenging group and will need to compete with the likes of Uruguay and South Korea next week.

With Messi in the team, Argentina remain one of the favorites to win the World Cup but will need to prove their mettle in their next two games. Mexico and Poland are capable of pulling off upsets on their day and La Albiceleste will need Messi at his unstoppable best to make it to the knock-outs.

Messi and Ronaldo will likely be seen in the FIFA World Cup for the last time this year. While the two modern-day legends will attempt to mark their farewells with historic triumphs, the stage is set for a new generation to shine in the limelight. Kylian Mbappe was the star of the show in 2018, and he may well step up yet again for France.