Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have awful days, Kylian Mbappe takes World Cup by storm - The Warm-Up

Updated 23/11/2022 at 12:09 GMT

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had terrible days during the third day of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Messi’s Argentina were stunned by Saudi Arabia at the Lusail Stadium in a surprise result in Group C, while Ronaldo brought his time at Manchester United to an end after a mutual decision to end his contract early. Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappe laid down a marker as France beat Australia.

Ronaldo on THAT interview and Messi at World Cup - 'the timing is my timing'

Wednesday’s big stories

A terrible day for Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo and his acolytes may package up his Manchester United exit as a win. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner through the medium of a Piers Morgan interview has extricated himself from his Manchester United contract.

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Yes, a matter of days after Ronaldo told the world that the Glazers did not care about the club, that the club had betrayed him, and that he did not respect Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo has left United by mutual consent.

This is what United had to say about the arrangement in their statement:

"Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect.

"The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future.

"Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch."

And here is Ronaldo's take:

"Following conversations with Manchester United we have mutually agreed to end our contract early. I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change.

"However, it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge. I wish the team every success for the remainder of the season and for the future."

All relatively pleasant considering what came before. However, once reality bites, Ronaldo might realise the precarious position he has put his career in.

How many clubs are able and willing to risk a punt on Ronaldo? Well, we are about to find out, and it might not do too much to assuage Ronaldo's already bruised ego; especially if Vincent Kompany's reaction was anything to go by when it was put to him on the BBC that Burnley could sign the forward.

He simply said: "We need players who can run."

'Guess who beat them!' - Saudi fans bask in shock win over Argentina

A terrible day for Lionel Messi

It started so well for Lionel Messi. The Argentine captain gave Argentina the lead against Saudi Arabia with a penalty of serenity, the 35-year-old casually slotting the ball past Mohammed Al-Owais with the calm of a man comfortable and ready to embrace the responsibility of guiding his nation to a third World Cup.

Alas, for Messi, the legacy-defining World Cup win will not be plain sailing, if it comes at all. For Saudi Arabia - with assists from the semi-automatic offside VAR and the human linesperson who chalked off three goals - staged a second-half comeback courtesy of goals from Salem Al-Dawsari and Saleh Al-Shehri.

Roy Keane and Graham Souness were not shy in their criticism of Lionel Scaloni's side. Keane called them "dreadful" while Souness said he was "gobsmacked".

And here is the issue for Argentina and Messi. Scaloni's team looked jittery at 1-1 and lacked conviction at 2-1 down. This felt less a freak result and more a systematic failing. Argentina - who were on a 36-game unbeaten streak - looked fragile.

Messi will hope that his team can follow in the footsteps of Spain, who lost their opening game against Switzerland in 2010 before going on to win the competition.

'There is a lot of shock' - Argentine journalist on how Saudi defeat has gone down

Mbappe stakes his claim as world's best

While Messi and Ronaldo were having days to forget, Kylian Mbappe was staking his claim to be the world's best in their 4-1 win against Australia.

France are a team ravaged by injury, and with substantial faults. Over the course of a season, a team as flawed and ravaged by injury as them would be found out, but at a World Cup, a player of Mbappe's skillset and calibre can carry his team past those weaknesses in the short, contracted period that is the competition. It is what many expect / expected Messi to do. He nearly did it in 2014, but fell short.

The 23-year-old scored one, assisted one and missed one sitter in a performance of excellence that saw him bend the match to his will.

And that should be of concern to Messi. For Argentina's loss to Saudi Arabia heightens the chances of them finishing second in Group C. The runners-up in Group C will face the winners of the Group D that France sit top of.

Thus, France and Argentina could meet in the round of 16. There is a lot of football to be played before that possibility but should Mbappe contribute to ending Messi's hopes of adding the World Cup to his list of honours, it would put an exclamation point on the Frenchman's emergence as the world's best.