Paul Scholes Tips Kylian Mbappe To Become Best Player in The World Ahead Of Erling Haaland

Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes is tipping Kylian Mbappe to become the best player in world soccer.

Lionel Messi, 35, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, have contested a running battle for that title for over a decade, winning 12 of the last 13 Ballon d'Or awards between them.

The era of the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly may soon be over as both players are now past their peak.

Kylian Mbappe has been tipped to become the best player in world soccer

IMAGO/Bruno Fahy

Many fans are anticipating a new battle to emerge between France forward Mbappe, 23, and Norway striker Erling Haaland, 22.

Haaland has scored 14 goals in 10 appearances for Manchester City since signing from Borussia Dortmund this summer.

Over the course of his career, Haaland has a better goals-per-game ratio than Mbappe, but Scholes believes that the 2018 World Cup winner is a more complete player.

Speaking to former teammate Gary Neville on The Overlap, Scholes said: "I'd go Mbappe. I think there's more to his game [than Haaland's]. He's not just an out-and-out center-forward, is he?"

Scholes added: "He [Mbappe] can go wide, he can dribble past people, he's quick, he can play one-twos.

"Haaland's f****** amazing, don't get me wrong, but he is [just] a goalscorer, isn't he?"

Scholes was nominated for the Ballon d'Or award five times during his playing career - in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2007 - but never received a single point in the final voting.