France and Norway Clash Today With the Golden Boot Race on the Line

Both teams are already through to the knockouts — but today's Group I finale in Boston is really about Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, two goal-scoring machines chasing Messi's record and each other.

Today at 3 p.m. ET in Boston, France and Norway play a game that technically doesn't decide who advances — both sides are already locked into the Round of 32. It barely matters. This is really about two strikers, and they both know it.

Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland have each scored twice in both of their group games so far, four goals apiece, turning Group I into the most must-watch storyline of the tournament's final group-stage day. Mbappé sits at 16 career World Cup goals — tied with Germany's Miroslav Klose for the second-most all-time, just two behind Lionel Messi's freshly set record of 18. For Haaland, it's his first World Cup ever, and he's spent it tearing through defenses like he's been doing this for a decade.

There's an actual prize on the table too. France can win the group outright with a win or a draw, thanks to a better goal difference. Norway needs a win to leapfrog them. Whoever finishes first gets the easier path through the bracket — whoever finishes second gets the tougher draw. Low-stakes for qualification, high-stakes for everything that comes after.

For Mbappé specifically, this is also his last chance in the group stage to close the gap on Messi before the knockouts start. Two goals today ties the all-time record. Three, and he's the new king of World Cup scoring — with the actual king still playing in this same tournament.

Does Mbappé add to that tally today, or does Haaland make Boston his stage instead?