The World Cup often brings out the very best in soccer’s biggest stars. 

But at the same time, the tournament can be cruel. Not everybody makes the most of the opportunity, as some of the all-time legends have fallen flat at the World Cup. 

France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland don’t fall into that category. Mbappé and Haaland displayed why they rank among the greatest of the current era on Tuesday at the World Cup, both bagging braces in guiding their teams to impressive wins. 

And the good news is that the day isn’t over. Reigning champ Argentina faces Algeria at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, as the greatest of all time, Lionel Messi, will make his 200th appearance for his country and become the first man to appear in six different World Cups. Could he mark the occasion with a brace of his own? Stay tuned. 

Here are the biggest takeaways from Day 6.  

Group I: France 3, Senegal 1 | Match report | Match stats  

Group I: Norway 4, Iraq 1 | Match report | Match stats  

As Mbappé goes, so goes France

If France is going to win its third World Cup – and first since 2018 – it will likely be on the shoulders of Kylian Mbappé. And all early indications are that they can more than handle the load, as the Real Madrid super star bagged a fantastic brace in Les Bleus’ win over Senegal. Mbappé was the Golden Boot winner four years ago in Qatar, and his quest to earn a second consecutive trophy as the tournament’s top scorer is off to an excellent start. But it took some........

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