Kylian Mbappé celebrates his 26th birthday… Where were the legends of this sport at the same age?

“Since my childhood, I wanted to become the best player in the world,” he said again during the last Euro. Kylian Mbappé has never hidden his ambitions regarding his desire to mark the history of football, and we can say that he has already contributed greatly with several notable trophies (20 in total). 7 Ligue 1, 4 Coupe de France and above all the holy grail: the World Cup in 2018, which he won with a magnificent competition, at only 18 years old.

He obviously misses the Champions League, after which he has been chasing for many years and his arrival (for the moment contrasting) at Real Madrid will allow him, we hope, to finally win the Cup with big ears. Individually, the French striker is obviously one of the best talents in football today, the top scorer in PSG’s history and recently reached 50 goals in the Champions League. But he has never won a Ballon d’Or, an individual reference in the world of football, which he has made his goal for the rest of his career. Is he, who has often compared himself to the greatest, in the era of his idol Cristiano Ronaldo or even King Pelé?

Lionel Messi already had 4 Ballon d’Ors

At 26, the Argentinian was racing in world football and already had four Ballon d’Ors, a mind-blowing figure. He shone at Barça, having won 23 trophies including 3 Champions Leagues, contributing to the success of his team in each edition. A huge creator in the game, the former PSG player also owned 3 golden shoes (top scorer in a calendar year). If Messi was therefore unplayable at club, the story was complicated for a long time in the selection. At 26, the Argentinian did not have any titles with the Albiceleste, unlike Kylian Mbappé.

Cristiano Ronaldo, a Ballon d’Or and a Champions League

He shone less than his great Argentinian rival but still had something to boast about. A Golden Ball and a Champions League at 26 for the former Manchester United player, who had not won a title with his national team either. If he was already exceptional at that age, it was especially after the age of 27 that Ronaldo experienced extraordinary success with Real Madrid, ending his career in Europe with 5 Ballon d’Ors and 5 Champions Leagues. A big fan of the Portuguese, Kylian Mbappé can rely on the career of his idol to change dimension in the coming years.

Pelé, two World Cups under his belt

Of course, it was another football, but how could we not mention Pelé among the most notable players in the history of this sport? At 26 years old, the Brazilian had quite a track record with 16 trophies and especially two World Cups, in 1958 and 1962. Considered one of the best players of all time, King Pelé is one of the rare players (there are four of them) to have scored in two World Cup finals, like a certain Kylian Mbappé, in 2018 then in 2022, with a sublime hat-trick against Argentina.

Diego Maradona, a World Cup and a legendary goal

The year he turned 26, the Argentinian Diego Maradona was consecrated. He won the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, scoring a legendary goal against England, before receiving his first (and last) Golden Ball a few months later. However, the former Neapolitan, who is part of the legend of his sport, did not have the best track record at that age. Only 4 trophies, including 3 with FC Barcelona in 1983.

Michel Platini, the calm before the storm

Considered one of the best French players in history, Michel Platini had his best years at the ages of 28, 29 and 30, during which he won 3 consecutive Ballon d’Ors and a Euro. Before that, the former midfielder did not have an exceptional record. Only three titles before his 26th birthday, for a player who subsequently flew over world football. If it is once again not the same era, Mbappé is, at the same age, ahead of the former captain of the France team.

Zinédine Zidane, a global coronation in the year she turned 26

Like Diego Maradona, Zinédine Zidane was crowned the year he turned 26. He scored a legendary double in the 1998 World Cup final against Brazil and subsequently won his first Ballon d’Or. At that time, the French striker had 11 titles. A track record that he will provide even more in the following years with a Euro, in 2000, and several conquests with Real Madrid, including the Champions League at the age of 30.

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