World Cup Star Strikers: How to Defend Against the Elite

A World Cup is always that little bit more special when the game's star names come to the party.

And last week four of football's elite strikers announced their arrival in devastating fashion.

It was as though each was spurred on by the performance of the others.

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe got the ball rolling by scoring twice in France's 3-1 win over Senegal.

That was emulated a couple of hours later by Manchester City's Erling Haaland in Norway's 4-1 win over Iraq.

Then step forward Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami attacker proving his enduring class with a hat-trick as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0.

Bayern Munich's Harry Kane then netted twice as England beat Croatia 4-2.

Could this be the tournament of the star striker? And if you're up against them, how do you plan to stop them?

Four very different players, with contrasting styles but who are equally effective.

Former Everton and Wales defender Ashley Williams told BBC Sport how you might defend against them.

Next game: Austria, Monday 18:00 BST

Messi turns 39 on Wednesday, but you would not know it from his performance against Algeria.

The forward's treble took him level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the World Cup's all-time top scorer on 16 goals - though Mbappe is just two behind.

With Messi on this kind of form, and on 120 international goals, how do you halt him in his tracks?

"It's more of a team effort," Williams said. "I always felt being a defender that you are hoping for a bit of luck.

"You've got to cover all your bases, which might be getting tight as a defender, or dropping off and letting your midfield get tight.

"Try as best you can to push him into comfortable areas with your body shape, your distancing and your angles of approach.

"He's one of those players where if you have to pick a poison, say you'd rather someone else take the shot than him."

Williams added that forcing an attacker onto their weaker foot would have limited success with Messi.

"He seems to take control in possession, no matter where you try to push him out to," Williams said.

"He's got the low centre of gravity, great balance, his touch is exceptional, so he can manipulate the ball and get you into a place you don't want."

Next game: Iraq, Monday 22:00 BST

Williams has first-hand experience of Mbappe from his own playing days with Wales.

In November 2017, when Mbappe was a fresh-faced 18-year-old, Williams had to keep tabs on the striker for 84 minutes of an international friendly in Paris.

Mbappe did not score, but he did provide the assist for Olivier Giroud to complete a 2-0 victory.

By coincidence, the 27-year-old's brace against Senegal took him past Giroud to become France's all-time top scorer on 58 goals.

"He was very difficult to play against," Williams said.

"Mbappe is more direct than Messi. Not to say that he's better, but he's equally as hard to defend against.

"When Mbappe dribbles, it's normally with more pace. The way he will manoeuvre the ball to where he wants, in a twist and turn, is with more intensity.

"When you're playing against a striker that is normally 100 miles an hour, you stay in that rhythm as well. You're defending at that pace, whereas Messi will slow you down and then speed you up.

"I'd probably rather play against Mbappe, because you stay locked in with him."

France have such an array of world-class attacking talent, there is not just Mbappe to think about.

"You'll do your homework, and see what type of runs players like to make," Williams added.

"Michael Olise likes to come inside on his left foot a little bit more, which then might set off a run from Ousmane Dembele or Mbappe, so they will have trends that will be studied.

"If you focus all your attention on Mbappe, some of the others will hurt you.

"As a collective unit, you need to be working together on the same page."

Next game: Senegal, Tuesday 01:00 BST

Haaland had to wait until the age of 25 not just to make his World Cup debut, but his international tournament bow too.

And the Leeds-born striker is clearly eager to make up for lost time.

"He's the opposite of Mbappe and Messi," Williams said. "He'll beat you without the ball, which makes it even more dangerous.

"You want to help your midfield by squeezing up, so they don't have to cover too much distance.

"But as soon as you leave the space in behind, he's going to exploit that straight away."

One of the keys to limiting Haaland's influence, Williams says, is to prevent his team mates getting the ball to him.

"You've got to stop the balls in behind first and foremost," Williams said. "Stop the supply going into him.

"If you can play your distances between your midfield and limit his chances, you've got half a chance.

"There's not many times when he actually drops in, gets the ball, beats four players, and scores his own goal, so he does feed off what he's getting served."

Haaland is the most clinical of the four, with 57 goals in just 51 caps.

"He's more lethal," Williams added. "If he gets a chance, it's probably going to be a goal."

What about dealing with Haaland one on one?

"Around the box, you've got to get tight and try to get him on his right foot," Williams said.

"Then you're just going to have to be as strong as you can, don't be clever, just get the ball away and buy time."

Next game: Ghana, Tuesday 21:00 BST

Kane, 32, is no stranger to Williams, with the England captain having scored five goals for Tottenham against Williams' Swansea and Everton sides around 10 years ago.

But the Harry Kane of 2026 is a very different player to 2016.

"He was a little bit more mobile and bit quicker," Williams said. "He'd run in behind a bit more.

"Now he's not going to beat you in the dribble, so you've got to get up tight and not let him shoot.

"His shooting is arguably the best out of all these players."

Kane, now on 81 goals for England, shows real willingness to drop deep, and he can often be found near the halfway line or even in his own half.

"It's that element of Kane's game that sets him apart," Williams said.

"Against Croatia, he dropped into midfield a lot to use his qualities, his passing range.

"I'd stay in defence and communicate with midfield. As soon as he gets to a point, it would be their job to mark him, and I'd try to stay in a deeper position to cover the gap and beyond.

"I would be speaking to my defensive midfielder and saying 'I know you might be overloaded with your own man and Kane if he drops in, but we can live with that one'."

Kane's role presents a different challenge, allowing Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon to exploit the space.

"[The runners] would be the priority," Williams said. "It wouldn't necessarily be closing down Kane in midfield, especially from a defender's point of view.

"It's very difficult to play against a team that are going both ways. What we can't live with is if there's gaps in the back line and with runners in behind.

"From an England point of view I think that's probably their biggest weapon."