Rudiger's message to Mbappe... and now for Haaland

The German centre-back cancelled the Frenchman in the friendly match… and in a fortnight's time he will face Haaland

Cristiano-Messi, Messi-Cristiano, the pairing that has dominated European football for the last 15 years is in the final throes of what seemed like a never-ending period.

Now that both are enjoying football in lesser leagues outside Europe, others will have to pick up the slack. That is where Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland come in, two of the players (there are more: Bellingham, Griezmann, Vini, Julin lvarez, Kane...) who want to fill that void with goals and football.

And as life would have it, both will have to pass the definitive test of Antonio Rudiger, who is having a season worthy of applause.

The first to see Rudiger was Kylian Mbappe. The PSG striker, the absolute leader of the French national team, took to the Groupama Stadium pitch to face a difficult test for his national team.

They hosted Germany, which saw thereturn of Toni Kroos to the Mannschaft, and he did so in a position where he would have to try to get past the Madrid centre-back, one of the most complicated missions at present.

And it wasn't his best day on a pitch, as the German defence completely cancelled the PSG star.

The final numbers say it all: 4 out of 9 dribbles (44%), 1 out of 6 accurate shots (17%), 27 out of 38 accurate passes (71%), 5 out of 11 ground duels (45%), and the feeling of constant discomfort.

Because that is what Antonio Rudiger does to his opponents. The match also gave away a 'clash' between the two after a tackle from the German, who threw himself to the ground with everything he had to cut off the danger of the Frenchman.

He got up, applauded everyone… and ended up talking to Mbappe as he returned to his