Kylian Mbappé is already one of the World Cup’s all-time greats

DOHA, Qatar — France was leaving Poland hanging around just a little too long for comfort.  

Les Bleus were in control following Olivier Giroud’s first-half strike in the defending World Cup champs’ round of 16 match Sunday in the Qatari capital, sure. But they hadn’t twisted the dagger. And with perhaps the world’s best pure striker — Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski — leading the line for the Poles in a win-or-go-home game, France’s 1-0 lead was just a little too slim.  

Kylian Mbappé assisted on Giroud’s goal. But Mbappé is a bona fide superstar, and superstars have a way of stealing the show when the moment comes. Lewandowski might be on the shortlist of the top target men in the game, but the 23-year-old Mbappé is en route to cementing a more significant title at this World Cup if he hasn’t already: Greatest player in the world. 

Mbappé scored two sensational, unstoppable second-half goals that left Polish backstop Wojciech Szczęsny — who has easily been the best goalkeeper at this World Cup — grasping at vapors. Mbappé now leads the World Cup with five goals in four games.

“Even Wojciech wasn’t able to help us on this occasion,” gushed Polish coach Czeslaw Michniewicz afterward. “Nobody can stop Mbappé.”

Kylian Mbappé goes SUPER-HUMAN for France

We’ll soon find out if that’s true. Mbappé’s twin strikes rocketed France into the quarterfinals, where it will meet England for a spot in the semis.  

“Kylian didn’t have his best match tonight,” French coach Didier Deschamps said. “He knows that himself.” What a terrifying thought for the Three Lions.

Mbappé’s two goals Sunday burnished what is already one of the greatest résumés in World Cup history. Lionel Messi has been the game’s best player for most of the last two decades. Mbappé now has as many World Cup goals, nine, as the 35-year-old despite playing in three fewer tournaments. He’s got one more than Cristiano Ronaldo, who’s also appearing in his fifth World Cup this year, and Diego Maradona. Oh, and Mbappé just shattered Pelé’s record of seven World Cup goals before the age of 24.

That’s some rarified air the Paris native is breathing. The numbers are staggering, almost incomprehensible. They don’t lie — Mbappé is already an all-time great. While Messi is the sentimental favorite to win this World Cup, Mbappé may have something to say about that. If all goes to plan, Mbappé will have three more matches to play this month.

“The only thing I came here for was to win the World Cup,” Mbappé said after Sunday’s contest, his first public comments since arriving in Qatar. 

He’s already helped France win one title, of course, becoming the first teenager to score in the final since Pelé did it in 1958. No country has repeated as champs at a men’s World Cup since Pele’s Brazil did it almost 60 years ago. The way Mbappé is playing, nobody should put it past him to check that box off, too.

We are witnessing history every time Mbappé takes the field at this World Cup. Even Lewandowski, who scored a late consolation goal for Poland from the penalty spot in the 3-1 loss, couldn’t hide his admiration for Mbappé as the pair embraced upon the final whistle. Lewandowski then asked a man more than 10 years his junior for his jersey.  

Mbappe’s exploits in Sunday’s match totally overshadowed what normally would’ve been a much-celebrated occasion: Giroud’s strike made him France’s all-time top scorer, overtaking 1998 World Cup winner Thierry Henry.

But Mbappé is all anyone wants to talk about, even if he hasn’t done much talking lately himself. The best player in the world finally spoke to reporters after the game as FIFA requires of the Man of the Match, ending a media blackout that had repeatedly gotten the French Football Federation fined.

“I just needed to focus on my football, on the tournament. That’s the way I function,” Mbappé almost sheepishly explained. “This is the competition of my dreams. I’ve been preparing all season physically and mentally.” 

No worries, Kylian. You’re doing all the talking you need to with your feet.

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Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.

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