After the Blues’ coronation at the World Cup in Russia, José Mourinho admitted that he saw Kylian Mbappé as a unique phenomenon, both on a sporting and commercial level.
Having turned professional in 2015 with AS Monaco at just 16 years old, Kylian Mbappé wasted no time in getting noticed. If his talent quickly ignited French supporters during his time at ASM, it was under the tricolor jersey that the Bondynois established himself on the international scene.
Called up for the first time in the French team in March 2017, he played 12 minutes in his first match against Luxembourg (3-1 victory) in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. He quickly established himself as an indisputable starter in Didier Deschamps’ eleven and will become one of the main architects of the Blues’ triumph in Russia.
“I’m not saying he’s the best player in the world but…”
Mbappé scored his first goal in the World Cup against Peru (1-0) in the group stage, before making an impression during the match against Argentina (4-3) in the round of 16. Author of a double and at the origin of a penalty transformed by Antoine Griezmann, the number 10 of the Blues made an impressive race with the ball, winning his duels against the Argentine defenders, including Marcos Rojo, guilty of the mistake which will lead the first French goal. In the final, Mbappé distinguished himself again by scoring the last goal for the Blues against Croatia (4-2).
His exceptional performances during his first World Cup earned him praise from many football legends, like Pelé. José Mourinho, for his part, highlights the precocity of the young French star. “One thing that will go down in history is the age (19, editor’s note) at which he became World Champion”declares the Special One. He became World Champion. He was fundamental, and he was not only lucky to be there. »
Le Mou’ also discusses Mbappé’s market value, which skyrocketed after the tournament, making him the most expensive player in the world with an estimate of 180 million euros as of October 2018. “I’m not saying he’s the best player in the world, but he’s the one with the greatest commercial value”he adds.
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