When Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal got the ball and faced up to Pape Gueye, only one thing was going through the Villarreal player's mind: "Don't end up in a TikTok edit, don't end up in TikTok edit, don't end up in a TikTok edit ..."
To avoid becoming a meme, Gueye's solution was simple.
"I stepped back -- I just wanted an easy end to the season," the Senegal international joked after facing up against Yamal in the final game of the 2024-25 LaLiga campaign.
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Defenders at the FIFA World Cup won't have the same luxury Gueye had, given the stakes were so low in that particular game. Fail to get a grip on Spain's boy wonder and there is a good chance their team will lose the game and, potentially, be sent home from the tournament early.
The same is true of France's Kylian Mbappé, Yamal's rival at Real Madrid. They are two of the players who could tip the World Cup in their countries' favor in North America, where Les Bleus and La Roja both rank among the favorites.
Both already have international pedigree. Yamal is only 18, but he has tasted success with Spain, helping them win the European Championship two summers ago when they beat France in the semifinal en route to the trophy.
Mbappé, now in his peak at 27, has thrived at World Cups. He scored four times as France won the trophy in 2018 and another eight -- including a hat trick in the final -- in 2022 as France finished second to Argentina.
Throughout the past season, ESPN has spoken to players and coaches across LaLiga to get an idea of what it's like to face the duo, find out the differences between them and -- with both still desperate to win their first Ballon d'Or -- ask which of them is best placed to be crowned the best player in the world.
What players say about Yamal
Yamal has added a new layer to Spain's game. The possession-heavy style that saw them become world champions in 2010 became predictable; it needed to evolve. With Yamal, and to a lesser extent Nico Williams on the other flank, it has.
"Spain's style is the same, but there's a little difference which allowed them to win the European Championship," France coach Didier Deschamps told Marca before the tournament. "Beyond the capacity to keep the ball, they now have individuals with real speed. That pace does damage. It's very difficult to defend against that."
Watch Yamal on the right wing at Barça and he will bring you to your feet, whether it's with his trademark trivela pass, his trickery to beat a marker -- and then beat them again -- his imagination, his desire to entertain, or just simply the quality of his goals and his assists.
However, those that have played against him highlight something else: his decision making, maturity and the responsibility he seems comfortable taking on at such a young age.
"You can see the influence he has on his team," Getafe midfielder Luis Milla told ESPN. "It is incredible to see at that age. I was at the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal [between Atlético Madrid and Barça] and you could see from the first minute how he pushes and lifts his teammates.
"We're looking at a player who will mark an era if he continues down the same path. We need to appreciate him in Spain, show him some love and make sure we can enjoy watching him play for the national team."
Spain teammate Unai Simón agrees. "Lamine is a difference-maker," the Athletic Club goalkeeper told ESPN. "A lot of the game passes through him. I think he's the best player in LaLiga.
"When he gets the ball, he draws three players to him. At 18, he plays as if he has played 1,000 matches. Beyond the quality he has, it's that ability to know when to make the right decisions which is fundamental. He understands the game perfectly."
It is that side of his game which opponents feel marks him out from rest of the field.
"It's not easy for an 18-year-old kid to play with such maturity," Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski told ESPN. "Very few players at his age are that good in that aspect of the game, that's why he's one of the most talented players in the world."
He left Inter Milan players and staff stunned after his showing in last season's Champions League semifinal. Simone Inzaghi said he's a player that comes along "once every 50 years," while defender Alessandro Bastoni called him a "monster, a terrifyingly good kid."
The numbers in his 28 LaLiga appearances this season paint the picture better. Yamal ranked second for goal contributions (27), behind only Mbappé (30). He finished fourth for goals scored (16) and first for assists (11). He placed fourth for chances created (72), first for final-third passes (733), second for through balls (22) and first for take-ons attempted (285), with an above-average 46.7% of them successful.
"Lamine is so special in the sense that he can create goals, turn a match around, score, make something happen ... he can do it all," Villarreal striker Ayoze Pérez told ESPN.
What players say about Mbappé
Mbappé can do it all, too, but he has evolved into more of a No. 9 striker at Madrid, despite having previously always expressed a desire to play from the left wing with a target man through the middle.
He was the top scorer in LaLiga season with 25 goals -- nine more than Yamal, albeit in 336 more minutes. In total, he has 86 goals for Madrid in 103 appearances across all competitions since joining them in 2024.
"The numbers he has at Madrid in just [two seasons] already have him up there with players that have been legends at that club," Real Sociedad midfielder Carlos Soler, who played alongside Mbappé at Paris Saint-Germain, told ESPN. "He has that personality and confidence to try things ... and it almost always comes off. He's capable of getting out of any situation no matter how much you try and stop him."
Mbappé doesn't offer as much as Yamal away from putting the ball in the net, which is admittedly the most important aspect of the game, but his numbers are not to be sniffed at.
He registered just five assists in LaLiga in 31 appearances, ranking 25th, but still featured highly in other areas. He was seventh for chances created (65), third for final third passes (616) and fourth for take-ons attempted (175), of which he completed 44.6%.
"Mbappé is now more of a No. 9, he has that goal-scorers' instinct," Villarreal's Pérez added.
The numbers show that, even if he has gravitated closer to the goal at Madrid, he is still effective at running at players and creating chances.
"I have faced Mbappé more [than Yamal], due to my position, with various clubs, including Manchester United and Marseille," Real Oviedo defender Eric Bailly told ESPN. "He is the player that's made life most difficult for me."
As well as running at players, he is now also running in behind more. According to LaLiga Football Intelligence and Performance, Rayo Vallecano's Andrei Ratiu clocked the fastest speed in the league last season at 35.78 km/h (22.23 mph), but Mbappe was not far behind at 35.24 km/h (for context, Yamal came in at 33.55 km/h).
"He's the quickest thing I've ever seen," Poland and Aston Villa right back Matty Cash said after facing Mbappé at the World Cup four years ago.
"I'm watching the [analysis] videos while lying in bed prematch, but then in real life he's burning my legs -- that's the difference." Alavés striker Lucas Boyé told ESPN: "As of right now, Mbappé is a step above everyone else, due to his speed and the way he finishes moves. He is the best player in the world right now."
What the numbers say
With Mbappé's evolution into more of a striker -- and a Bernabéu superstar -- the defensive side of his game has suffered slightly. There is a now viral clip of Luis Enrique, his PSG manager at the time, telling him he has to "defend like a son of a b----," as NBA legend Michael Jordan did.
"You're a phenomenon," Luis Enrique told him. "But that's not enough. I need you to lead when it comes to pressing. Then we will have a f---ing machine."
PSG have won back-to-back Champions Leagues since Mbappé left in 2024. Meanwhile, he has yet to win a major trophy with Madrid, and his work off the ball has been scrutinized. He ranks last (445th) for defensive interventions with a paltry nine in LaLiga from players who have made 10 or more appearances this season.
It is a statistic which quickly spread across social media recently, although it is slightly unfair. Defensive interventions are certain actions in the defensive third. Not only is Mbappé not expected to track back regularly; Madrid are one of the teams in the league who spend more time on the attack.
A better gauge, and what Luis Enrique was getting at if you see the intensity of his PSG side, was pressing. In that sense, Mbappé fairs slightly better, although there is room to improve. He placed 300th (out of 445) in LaLiga for ball recoveries with 44, and 427th for ball recoveries per 90 minutes (1.52).
The same questions have been asked of Yamal. It is often the territory of the team's best player to be viewed in that way, as someone who can be freed from off-the-ball work to ensure they're fresh when needed. However, his numbers are higher than those of Mbappé, perhaps because of the demands of Barça coach Hansi Flick.
With 73 defensive recoveries, he placed 273rd in LaLiga. Ball recoveries were much higher, though: 99 (83rd in LaLiga) at an average of 3.93 per 90 minutes (189th) in LaLiga. Though that could simply be because he plays a different role to the Frenchman.
"You can't compare them, because Mbappé in this moment of his career plays in a very different position to Lamine," former Osasuna coach Alessio Lisci told ESPN. "They're two top-level players; it's almost impossible for me to say who is the best."
That work off the ball should not be underestimated. In recent years, teams who truly play as teams, with a buy-in from all 11 players to work hard in and out of possession, have had the most success. However, especially in international football, it's the unique talent of a star player like Yamal or Mbappé which could win a tournament.
"Mbappé [is the best right now]," Soler added. "Because I have played with him [at PSG] and because of the number of years he has been proving himself at the top level. Lamine's not been around as long but he is on a similar path."
Rayo's Jorge de Frutos sits on the other side of the divide.
"I would pick Lamine," De Frutos told ESPN. "I think he still has a lot of room to improve, which is scandalous when you think about it. His career so far has been incredible. He really stands out when he gets on the ball. It's also true Mbappé does, but it's Lamine for me."
Villarreal's Pérez added: "They are two superstars, the sort of players you like to watch. We're lucky to have them both in LaLiga."
Perhaps former England center back Rio Ferdinand put it best when, talking about the iconic Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry, he said: "Just enjoy them, man."
Sound advice -- as long as you don't end up in TikTok edits.
ESPN's Lluís Bou, Rodra and Moisés Llorens contributed to this report
