The pitches of the 2026 World Cup have revived the age of giants. With a "French spirit", the historic samba magic has been reborn from the feet of Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, the pair recreating the iconic double act forged by Ronaldo and Rivaldo at the 2002 World Cup.
Between Mbappé's extraordinary pace and Dembélé's brilliance, the "Les Bleus" duo have sparked a historic comparison that recalls that unforgettable partnership of nearly a quarter of a century ago, when the samba duo led their nation to World Cup glory.
France have become the first team to have two players each score 5 or more goals in a single World Cup edition since Brazil at the 2002 tournament held in South Korea and Japan.
Mbappé has scored 8 goals, a tally he shares with Argentina's Lionel Messi at the top of the current World Cup scoring charts, igniting the battle for the tournament's Golden Boot, while his teammate Dembélé has scored 5 goals so far.
Ronaldo scored 8 goals at the 2002 South Korea and Japan World Cup, while his teammate Rivaldo netted 5, the pair forming a double act that itself recalled the partnership of Romário and Bebeto, which led Brazil to glory at the 1994 World Cup in the United States.