Aurelien Tchouameni claims Kylian Mbappe is the best in the world ahead of Lionel Messi

Aurelien Tchouameni has claimed France team-mate Kylian Mbappe is the best player in the world ahead of the World Cup final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

The Real Madrid midfielder was quick to heap praise on the PSG star – who donned close friend Achraf Hakimi’s Morocco shirt in his celebrations on Wednesday – and ominously warned that he would be proving his credentials on Sunday. 

Tchouameni suggested Mbappe was better than Messi after helping his side secure a spot in the final with a 2-0 win over Morocco.

But team-mate Antoine Griezmann (left) said Lionel Messi is still the world’s greatest player

‘For me, Kylian is the best… And he will prove it on Sunday,’ Tchouameni said, according to TYC Sports.

Griezmann, who said facing Messi in the final would be a ‘totally different proposition’, disagrees, claiming the Argentine is still the world’s greatest.

‘Messi is the best player in the world right now,’ he told VM Express.

Tchouameni – who has starred for France in Qatar – argued that it was not a simple matter of 11 v 1, and that his side would have to do more than stop just Messi in the heavyweight clash.

‘It’s complicated to win, but we’re all going to work together to do it,’ he said. ‘We are going to make a plan, recover well and work to win this game because Messi will be there, but he also has 10 other players by his side.’

PSG star Mbappe has five goals for France at the Qatar World Cup as well as two assists

Karim Benzema was forced to pull out of the tournament through injury but has returned to training, prompting speculation that he may fly back for the final.

Didier Deschamps has already deflected questions on the Ballon d’Or winner’s prospects of having a role in the final, but Tchouameni indicated that he is still very much in contact with the rest of the squad. 

‘Yes, he was very happy for everyone,’ he added when asked if Benzema had spoken with his team-mates. 

Tchouameni himself has perhaps profited from injuries to other players in the squad, with both Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante ruled out ahead of the tournament. 

Griezmann had claimed that Argentina star Lionel Messi was the leading player in world football

But the 22-year-old has held down the midfield for a French side bidding to become the first nation to retain the trophy since Brazil triumphed at both Sweden 1958 and Chile 1962.

Both Messi and Mbappe have struck five times in Qatar, with the former also assisting three and the latter two, meaning the race for the Golden Boot will come down to Sunday’s grand finale. 

The pair represent two prongs of arguably Europe’s most lethal attacking trio, alongside Neymar, at PSG, and Messi and Mbappe alone account for 31 goals and 19 assists this season. 

Tchouameni warned that team-mate Mbappe would prove that he is ‘the best’ on Sunday